Mana

The Herald reports:

The Mana Party is investigating the case of a former regional branch chairman who admitted to having sex with a teenage boy in return for cash, cigarettes, clothing and a mobile phone top-up.

Nicholas Kayne Nitro appeared in the Christchurch District Court last month on a charge of receiving commercial sexual services from a person aged 16.

Party sources last night confirmed that Nicholas Nitro was the same person as Nikora Nitro, who is still listed on the Mana Party website as Christchurch branch chairman.

Contacted by the Weekend Herald last night, a spokesman said the party had been unaware of Nitro’s offending and would start an investigation immediately.

He said Nitro had not been an office holder in the party since the end of last year’s election campaign.

All parties have activists who get in trouble with the law from time to time. Little one can do to stop that. However once it is known they are facing charges, it is usual to have them stand down. As Mr Nitro is still listed on the Mana website, it is hard to know whether or not he was stood down.