Collins said an inquiry into the case would bring to light where the New Zealand's foreign affairs ministry had gone wrong.
"I don't think there is a New Zealander who is proud of the way in which this matter was handled and certainly not the minister and the prime minister," she told TVNZ's Q&A programme this morning.
"The minister and the prime minister are ropeable about what has occurred to the alleged victim."
Muhammad Rizalman Ismail, a Second Warrant officer who was attached to the Malaysian High Commission in Wellington, is accused of following a 21-year-old woman home and assaulting her with intent to rape.
It was reported that on May 9, Rizalman had allegedly followed the woman from a bus stop to her Brooklyn house before breaking in and undressing himself. The woman fought him off and neighbours came to her aid.
The woman, who has been identified as Tania Billingsley after she asked the court to lift an order to suppress her name, had said in a media interview that she felt frustrated and angry when Rizalman was allowed to go back to Malaysia.
The case sparked outrage in New Zealand when officials in Wellington initially said Malaysia had refused to waive diplomatic immunity and had sent Rizalman home.
However, it later emerged that there was some misunderstanding following ambiguous information by New Zealand foreign affairs officials during informal discussions.
Rizalman, 38, was also charged with burglary. Malaysia had said it would return Rizalman to New Zealand to face trial for his alleged offences.
He is believed to be undergoing psychiatric tests in a Malaysian military hospital and the date of his departure for New Zealand is unclear.
Meanwhile, TVNZ reported that the country's opposition MP David Shearer said the inquiry was designed to get Mr McCully "off the hook".
"The inquiry will focus on low-level officials except him and except the prime minister.
"He's trying to stay out of it."
However, according to TVNZ, Collins said McCully would be fully involved in the inquiry.
- TMI
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.