The Serious Fraud Office has carried out a search of the Māori King's offices in Waikato this morning as part of an ongoing investigation.
Kingi Tūheitia Photo: RNZ / Diego Opatowski
A spokesperson from the SFO confirmed the search warrant related to an investigation concerning the Ururangi Trust.
The Ururangi Trust is a charitable trust but is in the process of being de-registered and annually receives money from Waikato-Tainui Te Kauhanganui Incorporated to administer the office of the Māori King.
The search took place at the offices of the Māori King at the Waikato Tainui Endowed College which is in Hopuhopu just north of Ngāruawahia.
It's been reported documents and hard drives were removed during the raid to help with an individual investigation they are currently conducting.
The Serious Fraud Office wouldn't say anything more to protect the integrity of the investigation and those involved.
Māori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta said she been made aware of the search.
"The SFO has gone into the office and that's all I can comment on at this moment, I'm unaware of the extent."
Former advisor to King backs investigation
A former advisor to the Māori King is backing an investigation being led by the Serious Fraud Office into a trust which managed the king's office.
Tukoroirangi Morgan, who was once an advisor for Kingi Tūheitia, said the investigation would get to the bottom of any financial mismanagement.
"The fact that it's being escalated to an SFO investigation says one thing - that there are some serious concerns and there are some allegations."
Last year, Mr Morgan resigned as an advisor to the king, and said every tribal member deserved to know what had gone on in the trust.
"This is tribal money, money that belongs to our people, money that's been hard won and fought."
The quicker Waikato Tainui got to a resolution the better, he said.
"If people have to answer for their actions then it's got to be in the courts and they've got to be treated like anyone else."
