Former Rugby League star faces drug charges [1]
Tuesday, May 4, 2021 - 17:15
Manu Vatuvei, a former Rugby League Star player revealed on Instagram on 2 May that he was accused of possessing and importing the drug Methamphetamine in 2019.
Radio New Zealand reported that the well known sportsman outed himself, two days before his name suppression was due to lapse in the New Zealand courts. Manu is due to stand trial before a jury in October, alongside three other people. He denies the charge. Vatuvai told his instagram followers he wanted them to hear directly from him.
He was declined a named suppression by both the District and High Courts, despite his lawyer Greg Bradford suggesting he would be at risk of extreme hardship and his fair trial rights would suffer.
Between 2004 and 2017 Vatuvei played 226 games and scored 152 tries for the Warriors. He was selected for 29 Tests for New Zealand, and two games for Tonga.
He retired from professional Rugby League due to injury in 2017.