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The brother of a man now deemed missing has spoken out against alleged police claims that his brother was not one to engage with authorities.
“I know my brother. As I said, he hasn’t gone anywhere,” Mike Ahuriri told TVNZ on Monday.
His brother, Joseph Ahuriri, has not been heard from since the floods two weeks ago, although police do not think his disappearance is related to the floods in Gisborne after Cyclone Gabrielle.
“I still feel him here. My family up top would have told me if he’s gone or not.”
READ MORE:
* Cyclone Gabrielle: Majority of uncontactable people facing charges, police say
* ‘I’m not giving up’: Brother clings to hope as search continues 10 days after floods
* Sharp drop to 56 people uncontactable after Cyclone Gabrielle, police say
Police on Sunday sent out a statement saying eight people remained uncontactable. Those people included “those who, for a variety of reasons, do not engage with authorities”.
SUPPLIED/Stuff
Mike and Joseph Ahuriri. Joseph has been missing since the time of the Hawke’s Bay floods but police don’t think his disappearance is flood-related.
The release did not specify whether Joseph Ahuriri was included and a spokesperson from the police media centre on Tuesday stressed they said the eight “included” people who did not want to engage with authorities.
”This was not meant to suggest that it applied to all eight.”
But to Mike Ahuriri, his brother had been misrepresented by being included in the eight.
”The problem is, it’s just what the police said – the eight that were missing don’t want to be found, which is bullshit,” he told TVNZ.
KAI SCHWOERER/Stuff
Mike Ahuriri: ‘I know my brother. As I said, he hasn’t gone anywhere.’
“I know Joe wants to be found. He’s got kids, his partner has been waiting for him.”
Police on Monday downgraded the number of uncontactable to five plus, Ahuriri, who was now deemed missing.
”Joseph was previously reported uncontactable, and is currently being treated as a missing person,” the police statement said.
“While Joseph has had no contact with family or police since the cyclone, enquiries to date suggest it is unlikely that his disappearance is cyclone-related, although this cannot be fully ruled out.
“Police are continuing to make enquiries with family and associates to establish his exact movements and current whereabouts”.
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