Late actor Pua Magasiva has been named as the New Zealand entertainer whose identity was temporarily suppressed after admitting to a domestic violence charge.
In November 2018, Magasiva pleaded guilty to one charge of male assaults female over an incident involving his wife Liz Sadler in June that year.
At the sentencing on April 26, 2019, Judge Claire Ryan declined an application for permanent name suppression at Auckland's North Shore District Court. The court heard that Magasiva spat in his wife's face before putting her in a headlock and dragging her by the neck after an argument while out at dinner.
Magasiva was given interim name suppression for 20 working days to allow time for his lawyer to appeal the decision, but 15 days later he died on May 11 from suspected suicide in Wellington.
A decision was made on November 20 to dismiss a final appeal made by the family for his name to be kept secret. The suppression order lapsed at 12am on Wednesday.
Sadler's letter to the court said she wanted to speak her truth freely as a victim of violence.
"I do not wish for name suppression because this would silence me again, but now by those who wish to protect him and the system allowing them to do this," she wrote.
"I do not want anyone to be hurt and do not want to dishonour Pua's memory, but I do not want to be revictimised by being forced to hold the truth alone in silence."
In a post on Sadler's Instagram page from last week, she uploaded an image of a Mark Twain quote that reads: "The truth hurts, but silence kills".
Three years ago, Magasiva was working as a radio host on Flava radio station as well as playing Vinnie Kruse on Shortland Street.
The domestic violence case sits alongside his third drink driving charge, which took place in the aftermath of a fight during his relationship with Sadler.
In March, 2018, Magasiva was sentenced to 80 hours community work, 12 months supervision and was disqualified from holding a drivers licence for 13 months, following a drink driving charge from an incident on October 31.
Magasiva had left the house that night on his motorbike to cool off after an argument, but had been drinking earlier that evening. When he returned, the police were at his home and he was required to undergo a breathalyser that he failed.
He pleaded guilty to the charge and was later fined for breaching the terms of his limited licence.
In 2005, he was banned for driving for six months after his second drink driving charge following his first in 2003.
At the time of his death, the father-of-one was 38.
