Arrest warrant for convicted would-be armed robber Pohue John Arohaki

A man released from jail for his role in a violent attempted armed robbery, has had a warrant issued for his arrest after he failed to appear in court over a raft of charges, including assaulting police.

Pohue John Arohaki had a warrant for his arrest issued by a magistrate after he failed to appear in court htis week.

A man released from jail for his role in a violent attempted armed robbery, has had a warrant issued for his arrest after he failed to appear in court over a raft of charges, including assaulting police.

Pohue John Arohaki was sentenced in Cairns District Court on Wednesday, September 11, for a 2021 attempted armed robbery after there were lengthy delays to his case due to difficulties with his representation.

He pleaded guilty to one charge of attempted robbery while armed and in company for the attempted hold up of a Cairns taxi driver where his co-accused held a screwdriver to the throat of the man and threatened to “stick” him “in the neck”.

The Cairns courthouse. Picture: Brendan Radke

CCTV footage from the taxi was played in the court which showed Mr Arohaki and another man leave the taxi, with Lewis Jerrimiah Warria remaining in the vehicle before holding the screwdriver to the driver’s neck and demanding money.

Mr Warria was sentenced for his part in the attempted robbery in 2022 where he was given three and a half years’ imprisonment, with a parole eligibility of December 17, 2022 after 232 days were declared as pre-sentence custody.

During Mr Warria’s sentencing in 2022 Judge Morzone KC noted Mr Warria’s “most unusual and tragic life so far” as a surviving sibling and relative of eight children murdered in their Murray Street home in 2014.

In 2016, a devastated 21-year old Lewis Warria and survivor of Murray St killings in Manoora, displays a portrait of 5 of the victims from the tragedy. Lewis was the first person to the discover the bodies of 7 younger brothers and sisters plus a niece on December 19, 2014, after they who were allegedly killed by mother Raina Thaiday. PICTURE: JUSTIN BRIERTY

In the taxi video, the driver can be heard asking “you’re not serious buddy?” and pleading to the two other men to “get this man out of my car”.

Mr Arohaki can then be seen getting back into the vehicle and grabbing the drivers arm to restrain him as he resisted the men.

The driver was able to begin driving with the two men being ejected from the vehicle.

Police prosecutor Hannah McNeale said while there was no injury to the complainant the offending would have been “terrifying” for him.

“It occurred at night, in a remote area, and when he was alone in an enclosed space,” she told the court.

“He had a weapon held to his neck while he was surrounded by three men.”

Ms McNeale also told the court Mr Arohaki, who has a five page criminal history, had previously been convicted for a very similar offence in which he stole from a taxi driver, punched him in the face and put him in a headlock.

Mr Arohaki’s defence counsel Kelly Goodwin, told the court he had a difficult time growing up in Australia after moving from the Cook Islands, not knowing English.

He experienced times of homelessness when he was a child and struggled with alcohol and substance abuse, Mr Goodwin said.

Mr Arohaki was sentenced to two years imprisonment for his role in the attempted robbery and was released on parole after serving 718 days in pre-sentence custody.

Mr Arohaki was due to face further charges in the Cairns Magistrates Court this week but did not show up to his sentencing, causing Magistrate Gelma Meoli to issue a warrant for his arrest.

Mr Arohaki is to be sentenced on two counts of assaulting a police officer, one count of assault occasioning bodily harm, 14 counts of stealing, two counts of enter premises, one count of obstruct police, and one count of wilful damage.

Originally published as Arrest warrant for convicted would-be armed robber Pohue John Arohaki