The High Court has awarded $500,000 in costs to Toni Waho for being wrongly removed from Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust Board.
Toni Waho was unlawfully removed from Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust after speaking out about misspending. Photo: RNZ / Leigh Marama McLachlan
The former trustee was unlawfully removed from the trust in 2014 after speaking out about the trust's alleged misspending, which led to an investigation by the Serious Fraud Office. The Serious Fraud Office found no crimes had been committed.
The Kōhanga Reo National Trust has been ordered to pay Mr Waho what he would have earned since his dismissal in November 2014, and his court costs.
The trust board's legal fees were more than $1.8 million to unsuccessfully defend the claim, he said.
"This is money that should be going to our kōhanga whānau," Mr Waho said.
"Rather than addressing the alleged misspending and improving governance, [the former board] chose to attack me personally, irrespective of the cost to our movement."
Mr Waho said he did everything he could to avoid court action against the trust to minimise the costs.
Since 2017, all of the trustees who served with Mr Waho have been replaced.
His lawyer, Felix Geiringer, said the whole process had not only taken a financial toll on Mr Waho, but a personal one.
"His whole reputation was put through the washer. The whole of New Zealand got told that he was a dishonorable person who was trying to hurt the thing that he loved most," Mr Geiringer said.
"The fact that the court case has vindicated his actions and said that he acted honorably and properly has meant a huge amount to him."
Although Mr Waho was relieved the process was over, he was also deeply embarrassed, Mr Geiringer said.
"We're talking a lot of money and he would much rather that none of this money was spent on the case."
The Kōhanga Reo National Trust Board is yet to respond to RNZ's requests for comment.