To be attributed to Superintendent Sam Hoyle, Wellington District Police Commander:
Police are continuing to support Tania who has recently applied to the court to vary the automatic name suppression given to her based on the charges involved. Police did not oppose this course of action as we wanted to support the wishes of the victim.
The process to facilitate Muhammad Rizalman bin Ismail's return to New Zealand is continuing with the support of MFAT.
As the matter remains before the courts, it is not appropriate for Police to make any comment about the circumstances of the offences. We continue to encourage other commentators on this matter to be mindful of the potential implications on any legal process. Any speculation on the likely outcome of the prosecution process ahead of the alleged offender appearing before the court is premature, unhelpful and risks prejudicing any forthcoming judicial process.
ENDS