Ex-Green Party Member in New Zealand Faces Penalty for Theft of $9,000 in Clothing, May Be Fined $1,600

Former New Zealand Green Party MP Golriz Ghahraman has been fined NZ$1,600 (US$974) and ordered to pay court costs of $260 (US$158) for shoplifting last year.

Her request for a discharge without conviction was also denied, making it unlikely for her to resume her law career. She resigned from Parliament after being charged.

In 2023, Ms. Ghahraman stole clothes valued at almost NZ$9,000 (US$5,470) from high-end boutiques in Auckland and Wellington.

Charges were brought against Ms. Ghahraman for shoplifting clothing worth $695 from Wellington’s Cre8iveworx Store on Oct. 22, 2023, and a navy cardigan valued at $389 from Standard Issue in Newmarket on Dec. 22.

She was also charged with two counts of shoplifting from Scotties Boutique in Ponsonby, totaling $5,773 on Dec. 21 and another $2,060 on Dec. 23.

Despite remorse, repayment of stolen items, and being a first-time offender, the former MP avoided imprisonment.

In her sentencing remarks, Judge June Jelas acknowledged the punitive consequences Ms. Ghahraman has faced, including loss of employment, income, and adverse effects on her mental health.

The judge accepted Ms. Ghahraman’s regret for her actions and expressed hope that she would find ways to continue serving the community.

Former MP ‘Deeply Regretful’

Ms. Ghahraman had previously stated that resigning from Parliament was the best thing for her mental health, citing extreme stress response and trauma.

Her lawyer outlined her life as a first-generation refugee and linked the shoplifting to mental health issues, including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Mental Health Not An Excuse For Shoplifting: Prosecutor

Crown Solicitor Alysha McClintock opposed the discharge without conviction, stating that mental health did not significantly contribute to the shoplifting.

Ms. Ghahraman claimed that the media camped outside her home for three weeks initially, but there was no evidence to support this.