In 2015 Sultan Ali Abdul Ali Akbari was jailed for two years and one month for five charges of indecent acts on girls aged 8 and 10 and indecently assaulting an 18-year-old.
New resident convicted of sex offending twice, won’t be deported
A man who emigrated to New Zealand has been convicted twice for sex offending since his arrival in 2012 – including while on bail – but will not be deported if his record stays clean for the next five years.
The decision by immigration officials has been criticised, particularly as the man did not complete any rehabilitation programmes or offence-related courses in prison.
The Herald can reveal that Sultan Ali Abdul Ali Akbari arrived in New Zealand from Afghanistan in October 2012 on a resident visa.
In February 2013 Akbari indecently assaulted a woman and was convicted.
Then in 2015 he was jailed for two years and one month for five charges of indecent acts on girls aged 8 and 10 and indecently assaulting an 18-year-old.
That offending happened while Akbari was on bail awaiting trial on the 2013 charge.
At sentencing in the Auckland District Court a pre-sentence report stated Akbari’s risk of reoffending was “moderate to high”.
“They assess your risk of harm as high – noting in particular an escalation in offending,” said Judge Kevin Glubb, also Akbari showed no remorse.
He imposed a sentence of two years and one month in prison, saying the offending was “serious”.
In January Akbari, now 58, was granted parole – despite the board finding that a lack of English had resulted in Akbari making “no progress” in prison.
He did not complete programmes to address his offending..
Despite that, the board agreed to release Akbari, saying the “support structures wrapped around” the sex offender and plans to keep him “safe from such future allegations arising” were factors likely to ensure he did not reoffend.
“We do not see his risk level improving by remaining in prison and are satisfied that it may regarded now as no longer undue,” convener Judge Paul Gittos said.
Akbari was released in February with a number of conditions that will remain in place until September including a curfew and not associating with young people unsupervised.
He is living with family in the wider Auckland area.
