A Samoan chief on trial for slavery says he brought five of the complainants to New Zealand to perform at his mother's birthday party, but they ran away and became overstayers.
Joseph Auga Matamata denies 11 charges of trafficking and 13 charges of slavery over a 26-year-period.
His trial is now in its fifth week in the High Court in Napier, and today under cross examination by the Crown he continue to deny any wrongdoing.
Anusha Bradley was there and filed this report.
