Asia-Pacific News
Woman drops sex complaint against former government minister
Jul 3, 2009, 5:14 GMT
Wellington - A woman who complained to police about an unwanted sexual encounter with a former New Zealand government minister has dropped the case, police announced on Friday.
Richard Worth, a lawyer, resigned as minister of internal affairs in the conservative National Party government last month after the Korean businesswoman lodged her complaint.
Prime Minister John Key said he would have sacked him had he not quit and Worth then resigned his seat in parliament, though he insisted he had not committed any crime.
A police statement said the woman had formally withdrawn her complaint, adding, 'Police will need to assess all the information we have to bring the file to a state of finality.'
The TV3 channel reported Thursday that the woman said in an email to Key that the minister took her to a hotel room he had arranged, where she fell asleep after they had been drinking and then 'was awoken by a naked Richard Worth.'
An Indian woman, who is an activist in the opposition Labour Party, has also accused Worth of bombarding her with sleazy phone text messages, including suggesting that they go on holiday together.
COMMENT
blog comments powered by DisqusLatest Headlines in Asia-Pacific
- 1. Chinese dissidents hail late democracy activist Fang Lizhi
- 2. China "worried" over planned North Korea rocket launch
- 3. Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi meets Karen rebels
- 4. Chinese schoolboy sells kidney to buy iPad, iPhone
- 5. Myanmar president invites Karen rebels to form party
Older Talkback
