Tongan RSE worker

Torhan Teariki Repia, 36, was excused from attending the Blenheim District Court on Monday as he had been bailed to an Auckland address.

Lawyer Marcus Zintl, acting as agent for Kelly Hennesy, entered the not guilty pleas for Repia.

Repia was scheduled to appear in the Blenheim District Court for a case review hearing on September 13.

Police in Blenheim arrested eight people in the hours after Lynch’s death in relation to an altercation in the town centre.

Mateni Lynch was in Christchurch to see his younger brother Hiko’s body before he flew to Auckland.

The Lynch’s paternal and maternal families are preparing for the service at the Vea Funeral Home in Ōtara this weekend.

Hiko’s body is expected to arrive in Auckland tomorrow (Friday) from Christchurch.  

His body will be flown to Tonga next week for the funeral.

“The family is devastated by his death”, Hiko’s maternal uncle Uilou Fungavaka told Kaniva News yesterday (Wednesday).

A cousin has identified the victim as Hiko Lynch. He was one of a group of Tongan Recognised Seasonal Employer workers who worked for Hortus in Blenheim.

Police were called to a disorder incident on Market St at about 2:55am, one person died at the scene according to a report on Kaniva News.

Two people were also seriously injured and taken to hospital where they remain in a serious condition, Marlborough Area Commander Inspector Simon Feltham said.

Hawke’s Bay District Health Board Medical Officer of Health Dr Rachel Eyre said the employer of the worker had acted promptly to notify the district health board’s public health unit.

All close contacts had been identified and were in isolation to avoid any further spread, she said.

Dr Eyre said the worker, from Tonga, had arrived into the country recently and, based on symptoms, did not know they had measles at the time of travel.

Sione Vakameilalo Fifita of Kolovai was in Brisbane as a Recognised Seasonal Employer worker.

Kaniva News reports it is unable to confirm the details of his medical and health conditions from the hospital.

A spokesperson for the family Kennedy Tau has pleaded for prayers for Fifita.

“Please pray for Sione Vakameilalo Fifita”, he wrote on Facebook.