Photo: RNZ/Marika Khabazi
A man facing over 100 charges relating to fraud and demanding fees to procure benefits has made a first appearance at the Auckland District Court on Monday.
The man appeared in front of community magistrate Terence John Bourke, alongside an interpreter.
He is facing 121 charges filed by the Ministry of Social Development, including obtaining by deception, using forged documents, demanding fees to procure benefits and using a document for a pecuniary advantage.
He also separately faces three charges of assault on a person in a domestic relationship.
The man has pleaded not guilty to all charges through his lawyer, and has elected trial by jury.
He sat on a chair in the dock throughout the appearance.
The man's counsel Jolene Reddy applied for his interim name suppression on grounds of undue hardship to the man and his elderly parents overseas.
She said the man also faced mental health issues.
Bourke granted interim name suppression for 28 days, on the basis that there is an "arguable case" for undue hardship - highlighting the low threshold for granting name suppression on first appearance.
The man was remanded in custody until his next appearance in late June.
