20 Feb 2012

Te Urewera trial further delayed

12:56 pm on 20 February 2012

The trial of four people charged over alleged paramilitary camps at Te Urewera National Park has again been put on hold, this time because one of the jury members is ill.

Tame Iti, Te Rangikaiwhiria Kemara, Urs Singer and Emily Bailey are on trial at the High Court in Auckland accused of being part of an organised criminal group and of unlawful possession of firearms.

The Crown claims they were planning to create a revolutionary army that would use guerrilla warfare to get self-governance for Tuhoe.

The trial, which began last week, has already been disrupted by illness when one of the defendants fell ill.

The judge has also excused a juror to attend her brother's funeral in America, reducing the jury to eleven.

The trial will resume on Wednesday.