Otago Daily Times

Second shopliftin­g incident alleged

- BEN LEAHY

WELLINGTON: A second allegation of shopliftin­g has emerged involving embattled Green Party list MP Golriz Ghahraman.

That incident allegedly took place at the same exclusive Ponsonby boutique weeks before the incident which is alleged to have occurred on December 23 and which is now the centre of a police investigat­ion.

Ms Ghahraman, who is the Green Party’s seventhhig­hest ranked list MP and previously held the party’s justice portfolio, was revealed by media on Wednesday to be facing an allegation of shopliftin­g thousands of dollars of highend designer items from Scotties Boutique in Blake St in Ponsonby.

Now it is understood a second alleged instance of Ms Ghahraman shopliftin­g from the boutique has been identified in the weeks prior to the original incident.

In addition, further details have come to light about the incident on December 23.

Sources have said they believe the value of the unpaid items Ms Ghahraman allegedly removed from the boutique two days before Christmas was in the region of $15,000.

It is understood that Ms Ghahraman was stopped by staff at Scotties when she attempted to leave the store without paying.

It is understood that Ms Ghahraman refused to open her bag when requested by shop assistants and then is alleged to have left the store with her bag containing the unpaid items.

Some hours later, the clothing was understood to have been anonymousl­y returned to the store.

The prominent MP and human rights lawyer has not been charged, but police said they received a report of alleged shopliftin­g at the store on December 23.

A staff member at Scotties said on Thursday they were unable to comment.

The store earlier declined to provide specific details but confirmed an incident was being handled by police.

Ms Ghahraman, who was justice spokeswoma­n for the Greens up until Wednesday, has stood aside from her portfolios.

Ms Ghahraman’s portfolios for the Greens included justice, foreign affairs, defence, ethnic communitie­s and trade.

Ms Ghahraman made New

Zealand history as the first refugee to be sworn in as an MP, having arrived in New Zealand as a child asylum seeker with her family from Iran. She was selected as a Green Party list candidate in January 2017.

In the 2023 election, she was ranked at No 7 on the Green Party’s list. —

?? PHOTO: THE NEW ZEALAND HERALD ?? In the spotlight . . . Green MP Golriz Ghahraman is facing allegation­s of shopliftin­g.
PHOTO: THE NEW ZEALAND HERALD In the spotlight . . . Green MP Golriz Ghahraman is facing allegation­s of shopliftin­g.
?? PHOTO: STEVEN SHARP ?? Serene scene . . . Watching the sun set behind mountains at Lake Aviemore are (from left) David Duncan, Tick, Debbie Duncan, Ruby, Weenie and Sheree Sharp.
PHOTO: STEVEN SHARP Serene scene . . . Watching the sun set behind mountains at Lake Aviemore are (from left) David Duncan, Tick, Debbie Duncan, Ruby, Weenie and Sheree Sharp.
?? PHOTO: MICHELLE TAYLOR ?? Camping fun . . . At the Omarama Top 10 Holiday Park are (from left) Ronnie Kingan, 13 months, of Tokarahi, North Otago, and Pippa Taylor, 3, and Luca Taylor, 2, both of Melbourne.
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?? PHOTO: LEAH NICOL ?? Catch of the day . . . Bella Nicol, 7, holds a blue cod she caught off Seacliff.
PHOTO: LEAH NICOL Catch of the day . . . Bella Nicol, 7, holds a blue cod she caught off Seacliff.
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?? PHOTO: STEPHANIE INDER ?? Two’s company . . . Shanti Inder, 10, of Sydney, Australia goes for a walk with Arlo on the Bannockbur­n Sluicings Loop Track on January 6.
PHOTO: STEPHANIE INDER Two’s company . . . Shanti Inder, 10, of Sydney, Australia goes for a walk with Arlo on the Bannockbur­n Sluicings Loop Track on January 6.
?? PHOTO: STEFF TODD ?? Are they biting? Lucas Gibson, 16, goes fishing on New Year’s Eve at Conroys Dam, Central Otago.
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