Three years after stealing a mere pounamu from Auckland Museum – the man responsible says he wants to give it back.
Cedar Brooke Erueti, 29, appeared via phone in Auckland District Court Wednesday in a hearing that deals specifically with people who have mental health challenges.
It’s been more than three years since he donned a Rastafarian wig, several layers of clothing and took Pokaiwhenua, a Ngāti Porou taonga associated with Iwirakau, a chief who lived around 1700.
Erueti’s lawyer Sue Petricevic told the court her client was ready to return it.
Judge Claire Ryan gently prodded Erueti on when that would be.
“So are you able to talk to Pokaiwhenua and what’s going to happen to it?"
“Everything will be returned in due time,” he said.
“Ok, are you waiting for this case to be over before the process takes place?
“Indeed,” he replied.
An earlier hearing in September last year found him not guilty to a charge of theft by reason of insanity.
Judge Claire Ryan finding that Erueti had a “disease of the mind” which rendered him incapable of knowing the moral wrongfulness of his actions.
That judgement outlined that he was suffering from psychosis, delusional disorder and schizophrenia on March 6 2019 when he walked into the museum armed with a knife and propane torch.
He tried a number of times to remove Pokaiwhenua, moving away from the display case when he saw security guards walking by, but left after being unsuccessful.
He met a friend at a cafe, stole a knife and then was successful on a return trip.
Cedar Erueti took Pokaiwhenua in 2019 after donning a wig and prising the taonga from a display case. (Source: Supplied)
Pokaiwhenua hasn’t been seen since.
“He believed he had been sent on a mission to do so by the taonga itself and some imaginary rangatira,” Judge Ryan wrote.
“He believed that if he did take it he would become a Kāi Tahu leader and receive considerable mana, neither of which are true but show his motivation for acting.”
Erueti considered Pokaiwhenua had been incorrectly labelled as belonging to Ngāti Porou and that it was a taonga of Kāi Tahu, his iwi.
Judge Ryan acknowledged Erueti now realised it is not a taonga of Kāi Tahu and that it was important to restore the balance in te ao Māori by restoring Pokaiwhenua.
Yesterday’s hearing was to deal with how Erueti should be treated.
Judge Ryan assured Erueti he wasn’t going to jail.
“Nothing terrible will happen to you but I need to work out, how to keep you well because I’m told you now have a job, that you’re responding really well to your medication and that life is turning a corner for you and I want to ensure that what I do today continues that for you.”
Under the Criminal Procedure Mentally Impaired Person’s Act judges can order that defendants who are found insane can be detained as a special patient in mental health facilities.
Judge Ryan outlined an improved home life for Erueti, who had engaged mental health treatment and was now in fulltime employment.
She instead ordered that he continue to be treated as an outpatient in his home town.
“I am hopeful that with the appropriate support… he will be able to hand over Pokaiwhenua, he will receive mana and aroha for doing that.
“I will leave that to him, he has said to me today that that is going to happen and so it will.”
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