For Auckland, it is hard to call this anything other than reckless and deadly. According to Radio NZ reporting, trucking company owner Ashik Ali repeatedly put dangerous, unroadworthy trucks on the road, even after police and transport authorities tried twice to strip his company of its license. He ignored warnings, skipped safety orders, and kept operating vehicles that inspectors described as unsafe, unregistered, and unfit for the road.

One of those trucks ultimately rolled backwards and killed a roadworker. This was not an accident. This was a catastrophic failure that Ali knew could happen and still allowed.

Authorities Warned Him Again and Again

Radio NZ’s investigation shows that Ali’s company had been under scrutiny since 2018. Inspectors repeatedly flagged his trucks for serious brake issues, worn-out components, and failed safety checks. Some vehicles received pink stickers, the clearest sign that a truck must be taken off the road immediately.

Police and transport officials attempted to revoke Ali’s transport license more than once. He responded by promising to remove unsafe vehicles and improve his fleet. Yet he continued using the same dangerous trucks he claimed he would retire.

Ali and his drivers knew they were operating what industry insiders call “road missiles.” They knew these machines could kill. But they kept driving them.

The Tragedy They Were Warned About

In May 2024, the worst-case scenario unfolded. Roadworker Johnathon Walters was on duty in Remuera when one of Ali’s trucks, loaded, unregistered, and lacking a valid certificate of fitness, rolled backwards due to complete brake failure. The vehicle crushed and killed him.

Radio NZ’s documents show that this exact truck had been ordered off the road. Ali knew the brakes were faulty. He knew it was unsafe. Yet he let it operate anyway.

Ali later pleaded guilty to manslaughter and received a three-year prison sentence, along with a court order to pay $20,000 in emotional harm reparations to Walters’ family.

A System That Tried, But Not Hard Enough

Inspectors and police attempted to intervene multiple times. They issued warnings, safety notices, and compliance orders. They monitored Ali’s fleet and pushed him to meet legal standards. Despite these efforts, the system did not have the power to immediately seize or impound the unsafe trucks.

Industry leaders now warn that this gap in the law leaves the public exposed. When a truck owner repeatedly ignores safety directives, warnings alone do not work. Stronger enforcement powers are urgently needed.

A Family Left With Unanswered Pain

Walters’ family delivered a powerful victim impact statement. His sister, Karin Fraser, told Ali that she now lives with constant fear. If her loved ones can be killed simply by going to work, she said, no family can feel safe.

Their grief underscores the human cost of a tragedy that was preventable at every stage.

A Wake-Up Call for New Zealand

This case must serve as a turning point for truck safety and industry regulation. Allowing dangerous vehicles onto public roads cannot be treated as a minor compliance issue. Lives are at stake.

Ali knowingly put unsafe trucks on the road. He ignored warnings, evaded oversight, and operated machines that regulators had already deemed hazardous. Someone died because of his choices.

New Zealand cannot afford to let another preventable death slip through the cracks of a weak enforcement system.

Warm Credit:
Deep respect to Radio NZ and reporter Phil Pennington, whose meticulous and persistent reporting brought these facts into the public eye. Their work made this story possible.