Death on Mayoral Drive in 1995

Road works on Mayoral Drive meant that my preferred stop at the back of the Central Library was blocked off yesterday. Ah well, there's always the next stop ... so, alighting there, and crossing the road carefully, I started to head for the next crossing and Lorne Street. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a plaque in the footpath.

"Benjamin Halaholo, born on 31st March 1979, tragically taken from this spot on the 21st December 1995. So dearly loved and dearly missed, Love you always, Family and Friends."

Benjamin Halaholo, aged 16, had been drinking with other youths at the Globe Hotel, but left around 2 am, headed for the corner of Wakefield Street and Mayoral Drive, and began brawling. After the fight, Halaholo was seen lying on the ground, suffering from head injuries. The police couldn't locate a weapon, but it appeared that he had been struck several times. Eight youths appeared in court that afternoon. In the new year, according to this site:

Filise Mafi, aged 20, student; Francis Tapusoa, 20, storeman; Asani Matulino, 22, process worker; Tony Oscar Johansson, 20, word processor all of Otara, were each sentenced to four and a half years’ imprisonment. A 19-year-old builder’s labourer, Nicholas Gregory Kisina, also of Otara, received a jail sentence of three and a half years.

William Logan Johansson, 19, unemployed of Otara, was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment suspended for two years and 10 months periodic detention; and a 21-year-old Onehunga solo mother, Tapaita Stephanie Sinisa, received six months’ jail suspended for 18 months and for months’ periodic detention. The eighth person, Latuata Benjamin Anae, 19, student, of Papatoetoe, was convicted and discharged on a charge of common assault.

Mafi, Kisina, Matulino, the Johansson brothers and Tapusoa had pleaded guilty to charges of manslaughter. Sinisa admitted a charge of assaulting Benjamin Halaholo with intent to injure. Tears flowed among the families of the prisoners and relatives of Benjamin Halaholo as the sentences were given.

Justice Elias said the incident was a double tragedy.

Four weeks before his death, Halaholo had signed a contract with the Warriors to play in the Superleague Under-17 competition. He had played for the Marist Rugby League Club since 1990, and belonged to the Roskill South Athletics Club for four years.

Mr Ross Lipscombe, the secretary manager for both clubs, said last night that Benjamin had outstanding potential in both sports. "He had amazing potential. He was the best prospect I have seen as an athlete."

(NZ Herald, 22 December 1995)

This year, on the 21st December, his family and friends marked the 15th anniversary of his death by placing a notice in the NZ Herald. He would have been 31 this year. There is an image of his gravestone at North Shore Memorial Cemetery here.

Additional: William Johansson, one of those convicted of Halaholo's death, features on this Te Ara page on killers who kill again:

In 2002 [Johansson] masterminded a robbery spree in Auckland during which pizza worker Marcus Doig and bank teller John Vaughan were fatally shot. Convicted of murder, Johansson was sentenced to life imprisonment with a 23-year minimum sentence. 

Update: Sandy has been very kind in providing links to close-up of her Flickr image of the headstone as linked above -- close up 1 and close up 2. Cheers, Sandy!