How many more like Zakariye Mohamed Hussein?

Refugee’s violence exposes a dangerous pattern

A violent offender who attacked a prison officer in Otago was revealed to be a refugee from Somalia, a detail not mentioned in the recent ODT report of the incident. His case adds to a growing number of serious crimes committed by individuals granted asylum in New Zealand. This stands in contrast to the generally low offending rates among immigrants who arrive on skilled work visas and contribute positively to the country.

Zakariye Mohamed Hussein, 30, is currently serving a life sentence for murder after fatally stabbing a woman in Christchurch in 2022. At the time of the killing, Hussein had been granted community leave from a mental health facility, where he was a patient.

The Christchurch murder, in which Hussein stabbed Laisa Waka Tunidau, a mother of four whom he had never met, followed a long history of erratic and violent behaviour. Despite this, details about his refugee background, including the fact that he arrived in New Zealand from Somalia as an asylum seeker, were absent from most public reports.

On 15 January this year, while incarcerated at Otago Corrections Facility, Hussein attacked a Corrections officer with a pen, leaving multiple puncture wounds. He later appeared in the Dunedin District Court via video link, where he pleaded guilty to injuring with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. Proceedings were disrupted when Hussein suddenly removed all his clothing on camera, prompting the judge to cut the feed.

Court records describe a disturbing history of assaults, including a 2012 stabbing spree in Christchurch, a 2018 attack on a hospital nurse, and his most recent outburst in prison. Three psychiatric assessments have noted Hussein’s delusional beliefs, including claims that God would deposit large sums of money into his bank account so he could buy property and marry hospital staff.

His sentencing for the prison attack has been postponed until August.

New Zealand can no longer afford to turn a blind eye to the consequences of its lenient asylum policies. While compassion has its place, the repeated violent offences committed by individuals like Zakariye Mohamed Hussein expose a deeply flawed resettlement system that puts public safety at risk. Unlike skilled migrants, who are thoroughly vetted and contribute meaningfully to the country, some asylum seekers are entering New Zealand with unchecked trauma, instability, or violent tendencies, and the results are becoming tragically predictable. It's time for the government to stop prioritising virtue-signalling over the safety and well-being of its citizens.

If you import the third world, you become the third world - it’s as simple as that.