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A JP, local body politician, and Visiting Justice says he will “resign from everything” following a Stuff investigation exposing flaws in his CV.
Fale Andrew Lesā was appointed a Visiting Justice in June, advised of the appointment by Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee, giving him the authority to inspect prisons and interview prisoners, hold hearings and impose punishments when inmates have broken prison rules.
It was the latest in a seemingly impressive list of appointments and credentials: UN Diplomat, policy consultant at the Asian Development Bank, director for ACC.
He also appeared to have undertaken a wide-ranging array of studies, including a claim in a 2022 speech at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley that he had completed a JD – a Juris Doctor, a law degree – at Yale.
But after a Stuff investigation exposed concerns with the accuracy of many of his claims, Lesā said he had “decided to resign from everything” and would no longer run for re-election for the Manurewa local board.
“The speech I gave in Texas was a stupid mistake,” he said in text messages to Stuff. “And I take full responsibility.”
He said he had not made the Juris Doctor claim anywhere else.
He has not made further comment on other concerns raised about his credentials.
Lesā’s social media pages appear to have been taken down.
Stuff
