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PM to meet with CTV victims' families

Author
NZ Newswire,
Publish Date
Tue, 6 Feb 2018, 6:27AM
Police announced in December they would not be prosecuting the engineers responsible for the building, saying they were unlikely to get convictions. (Photo: Nina Burton)
Police announced in December they would not be prosecuting the engineers responsible for the building, saying they were unlikely to get convictions. (Photo: Nina Burton)

PM to meet with CTV victims' families

Author
NZ Newswire,
Publish Date
Tue, 6 Feb 2018, 6:27AM

The families of the victims of the CTV building collapse will meet with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern next week to discuss their disappointment in the police decision not to prosecute over the collapse in Christchurch seven years ago.

Police announced in December they would not be prosecuting the engineers responsible for the building, saying they were unlikely to get convictions.

Many of the victims' families were left outraged by the decision and are continuing to fight for justice.

The CTV building collapsed after the February 22, 2011 earthquake, killing 115 people including 65 foreign students. It accounted for the bulk of the quake's 185 deaths.

Maan Alkais, who lost his wife in the collapse, says he is looking forward to meeting the prime minister on Thursday, February 15, in Christchurch.

"Basically the story did not finish and it's being going on for seven years - we would like to explain why we disagree with the decision by the police not to prosecute," he told NZ Newswire.

"We will ask that this matter should be better resolved in a court where everyone can put forward their argument and a just decision be made."

The victims' families met with Justice Minister Andrew Little in December, who said at the time that he's asked officials to look at introducing a corporate manslaughter law following the police decision not to prosecute.

Alkais said that when the overwhelming majority of (the public) are this angry with the decision there "must be something wrong - when something is wrong it needs to be fixed".

"I personally will never give up fighting for justice," he said.

The Prime Minister's office has been contacted for a comment on the meeting.

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