Her once-promising political career now in tatters, former Green Party MP Golriz Ghahraman endured another blow this afternoon as she stood in an Auckland courtroom to be sentenced for shoplifting nearly $9000 worth of retail items from high-end stores.
Judge June Jelas denied the 43-year-old former barrister’s request for a discharge without conviction, decreasing her odds of being allowed to revive her legal career after a seven-year hiatus prompted by her ascension to Parliament.
Ghahraman, who was allowed to sit in the courtroom gallery rather than the dock, lowered her eyes and looked towards a supporter as the decision was announced.
The judge imposed fines totalling $1600 and court costs of $260. Supervision was not imposed.
This seems appropriate – a minor fine and a conviction. Now that the justice process has reached a conclusion, Ghahraman should be allowed to get on with her life in private and like any other criminal be wished well in her rehabilitation.
David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders.
9 comments:
A prison sentence would have reduced the maori internment relative statisics But she would likely have been a bad influence.
Her whole life has been false, supposedly being a "refugee", "poor upbringing", "UN prosecutor" and "top human rights lawyer" etc. The best I can hope for her is that she starts learning to be genuine. She doesn't need to be something she's not. I also hope she starts surrounding herself with genuine people. Not like she's been doing up to now.
So Ghahraman was fined less than 1/5 of the value of the goods she stole? Doesn't seem appropriate to me.
The former Green MP was a refugee to New Zealand and abused the goodwill offered to her.
She should be given the 501 equivalent exit from New Zealand.
Two matters relating to -
I see that when Ms G arrived at Court she was photographed on 2 occasions -
1/ - entering the Building wearing a "specific scarf' around her neck
2/ - and whilst in Court was still wearing the same scarf.
So can "we safely state that we know were Her loyalties lie"?
Second, it the "promotion on TVNZ News @ 6:00 PM" Thursday 27th June, of an interview with John Campbell. The question is "will any other person appearing in Court, and the Judge hands down a similar sentence, will John Campbell interview them'??
Neither the Court costs nor the fine seem reasonable in my view. I'm sure if I, as a white male, had done thefts of a similar magnitude, I would have not been let off so lightly.
Basil Walker's proposal seems eminently appropriate, although I think it unlikely she will remain for long in NZ anyway, although I'm sure she will travel on the good standing of a NZ passport.
Yep that judge really showed her, found the wettest bus ticket and slapped her really hard with it.....and then sentenced her to pay under a $2k fine. I bet that greenie leftie thieving loser is laughing all the next high end designer store with a big empty bag. We need to deter criminals.......
Finished as an MP and possibly as a lawyer too.
Goodness - what's Left?
Plenty!!!
Appointed to some Left-wing NGO probably on a big, fat salary - not that that stopped her shop-lifting when she was with the Greens.
Or...a current affairs presenter on TVNZ! She's got all the attributes - biased, hypocritical, opinionated and lecturing.
Dear DeeM.
"Appointed to some left- wing NGO" do you think that such an entity might be financially supported by 'dear' Geo Soros?
Goodness, we would get our "own politically motivated NGO" whose sole objective would be Govt Interference, as the "Hon gentleman & his NGO in the Ukraine" did.
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