Man charged over triple-fatal Tongan band bus crash near Gisborne appears in court Featured
26 April, 2017. The driver of a bus that crashed on Christmas Eve near Gisborne, leaving three members of a Tongan band dead, has appeared in court for the first time today.
Talakai 'Aholelei, 65, is charged with three counts of careless driving causing death and 27 charges of careless driving causing injury.
He has been granted bail and surrendered his passport.
The group from Mailefihi Siu'ilikutapu College Brass band were in New Zealand fundraising.
The accused will next appear in the Manukau District Court on May 25 and is expected to enter a plea.
-TVNZ