Malaysian diplomat pleads guilty to indecent assault of Wellington woman

Muhammad Rizalman has pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting Wellington woman Tania Billingsley.

A former Malaysian defence attache goes on trial in the Wellington High Court today accused of attacking a Wellington woman.

Muhammad Rizalman bin Ismail, 39, was due for a three-week jury trial on Monday charged with indecent assault, assault with intent to commit sexual violation and burglary by remaining in a building on May 9, 2014.

Crown prosecutor Grant Burston said it was not accepted that Billingsley may have touched him first in the bedroom as she was trying to get him to leave.

“Why, for instance, were the Malaysian authorities told by our Government that it was okay to plead diplomatic immunity and take Rizalman home?”

Dr Stevens said that, from the defence point of view, Rizalman’s hand may have come into contact with her throat during the struggle in the living room.

He said one expert’s evidence suggested Rizalman’s behaviour on the day in question was consistent with the use of cannabis and with anxiety.

“John Key owes Ms Billingsley a long overdue apology for his Government’s failure of her just after the attack, and the effect that his and his Ministers’ actions have had on her ever since”. Both Ministers need to be upfront about what they knew and when.

Mr Key has previously said he would not apologise because former Ministry of Foreign Affairs head John Allen had already done so.

“An independent review of how it was handled was announced more than a year ago, yet findings have still not been released”. McCully also reveals that a junior staffer in his office was informed about Malaysia invoking diplomatic immunity but never opened the email.

October: A formal request to extradite Rizalman to New Zealand is made. “Rizalman has accepted there was an indecent assault because he went into the house without his underpants on”.