Man arrested for murder of baby Mustafa Ali in Te Kūiti

June 14, 2024

A man has been arrested for the murder of 10-month-old Mustafa Ali in Te Kūiti last week.

The 22-year-old is due to appear in the Hamilton District Court tomorrow.

Mustafa was taken to Te Kūiti Hospital unconscious on Saturday afternoon, with what police initially described as "violent, blunt-force trauma" and "non-accidental" injuries.

Oranga Tamariki deputy chief executive of service delivery Rachel Leota on Tuesday said the agency had "prior involvement with the family in Te Kūiti".

"Police would like to thank all those who have come forward with information to assist our investigation into Mustafa’s murder," Detective Inspector Graham Pitkethley said this afternoon.

"The police investigation into Mustafa’s death and other incidents that occurred during his short life is ongoing."

Pitkethley on Tuesday revealed Mustafa was previously known to police for another "non-accidental injury", which allegedly occurred around October last year.

"Police were notified in or around October, and that investigation has been ongoing since that time with a number of reviews," he said last week.

He said the incident last year was "now critical" to police's current investigation.

"Non-accidental injuries on children are one of the most complex cases that our detectives and investigators can work on, for a number of reasons, and that complexity is also present in this case."

Pitkethley today said Te Kūiti residents "can expect to see a continued police presence in the area as we continue to examine and reconstruct the full circumstances of Mustafa’s life".

"There is the possibility of further charges as a result of this continued investigation," he said.

"Police are continuing to support Mustafa’s wider family, as they grieve the loss of their little boy, and our thoughts are with them."

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