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Jason Walls: Winston Peters lashes out at 'spurious allegations', SFO and media after NZ First Foundation acquittals

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Sinopsis

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has lashed out at what he says were "spurious allegations" levelled against two men acquitted over donations fraud today. The former deputy prime minister's comments come after an anonymous duo — accused of obtaining by deception after donations to the New Zealand First Foundation (NZFF) — were this morning found not guilty in the High Court. "From the moment these spurious allegations were first raised and then perpetuated by many in the media, day after day, and month after month, I maintained that there had been no wrongdoing," Peters said after the verdicts by Justice Pheroze Jagose, who presided over the judge-alone trial last month. Peters has distanced himself from NZFF, which the court heard was established to help modernise and raise funds for the party, and has strenuously denied any wrongdoing after it first came under scrutiny in media reports during November 2019. The accused pair were charged by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) just before the 2020 general e