An ex-New Zealand lawmaker, Golriz Ghahraman has been sentenced for shoplifting and was fined on Thursday, June 27, in a disgraceful behaviour that has left the centre-left politician’s once-promising career in shreds.
Ghahraman is renowned for being the first refugee elected to New Zealand’s parliament and she had resigned from her political duties on January 16, on the grounds of taking the time to address her mental health.
The day after her resignation however, police charged the former Green Party politician with shoplifting from boutique clothing stores.
Ghahraman had pleaded guilty in March to four counts of shoplifting after stealing about NZ$9,000 worth (US$5,500) of items late last year from shops in Auckland and Wellington.
The 43-year-old politician was fined NZ$1,600 and ordered to pay NZ$260 in costs at sb Auckland district court, according to the deputy registrar.
Due to Ghahraman’s show of remorse, refund of the stolen items and her being a first-time offender meant that she avoided a jail sentence, Judge June Jelas said.
What This Means
In a pre-recorded interview with TVNZ that went live on Thursday, Ghahraman remarked that she shoplifted because she of stress from the politics that she wanted to get out from.
“It was self-sabotage. My great regret is to have caused other people distress and harm because I couldn’t stop and say ‘there is something wrong with you, get help’ or ‘quit’, which is what I should have done.”
Ghahraman who is Iranian born had moved to New Zealand as a child with her family when they were granted political asylum.
