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National | Crime

Ngāti Rangiwewehi happy with Kereopa Te Rau pardon

Today dark clouds covered Tarimano however descendants of Ngāti Rangiwewehi are happy that their ancestor, Kereopa Te Rau has been pardoned of a crime they knew he never committed.

The pardon means that Kereopa Te Rau has been cleared of murdering Anglican missionary Carl Volkner near Ōpōtiki in 1865.

Kereopa Te Rau is the second important figure to be pardoned over this killing, Whakatōhea chief Mokomoko was the first. Te Rangikāheke Bidois, key negotiator for the settlement says they were lucky to include the pardon in their settlement.

Kereopa Te Rau was hanged at Napier after a trial on January 1872, seven years after Carl Volkner's murder in Ōpōtiki.

Now his direct descendants have to decide how they will acknowledge the pardon.