Joseph Auga Matamata (born ) is a

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

-based Samoan chief and slave trader. He is the first person in New Zealand to be convicted of using someone as a slave, and the first to be charged with both human trafficking and slavery. The offences were committed between 1994 and 2019, and involved 13 people. Following a five-week trial at the Napier High Court, Matamata was convicted of 10 counts of trafficking, and 13 counts of slavery. In July 2020 he was sentenced to 11 years in jail, and reparations of NZ$180,000. He also forfeited two properties where the offences occurred.

References

People convicted of human trafficking New Zealand criminals Samoan chiefs Living people 1950s births Year of birth uncertain Slavery in Oceania {{NewZealand-crime-bio-stub Prisoners and detainees of New Zealand 21st-century slave traders 20th-century slave traders