The Court of Appeal will re-hear David Tamihere's murder convictions, the Justice Minister has revealed, after he filed a Royal Prerogative of Mercy application last year.
Andrew Little says the convictions have been referred back to the Court of Appeal after Cabinet completed the required administrative process, which had been held up by the demands of COVID-19.
The move comes after jailhouse informant Robert Harris was in 2017 found to have falsely testified that Tamihere, while in prison, detailed sexually assaulting and killing Swedish tourists Sven Urban Hӧglin, 23, and Heidi Paakkonen, 21.
The pair disappeared in April 1989 after leaving their car at the end of Tararu Stream Rd in the Coromandel Ranges. Tamihere was convicted of double-murder in 1990 and served 20 years behind bars for the crimes, but has always maintained his innocence.
At the time Tamihere was on the run after skipping bail for a rape in 1986. However while he admits stealing the pair's rental car and property, he's adamant he never met them.
Last year, Tamihere filed a Royal Prerogative of Mercy application. The Governor-General has accepted advice from the Justice Minister on the application, and the case will now go before the court again as a further appeal.
"After considering advice from the Ministry of Justice, who were assisted by a retired senior High Court judge, I advised Her Excellency to refer Mr Tamihere's convictions back to the Court of Appeal for further consideration," Little said.
"As the matter will shortly come before the Courts, I will not be making any further comment."
