Police have today charged 12 people for the murder of a Rotorua man last month. Seven of those charged are from the small Bay of Plenty town of Maketu.

Zain Taikato Fox, aged 20, died in Rotorua Hospital of critical injuries on July 28.

Officers have conducted numerous inquiries since then, culminating in search warrants being executed in Maketu, Rotorua, and Whanganui this morning.

Detective Inspector Craig Rawlinson said it was a big day for the small town of Maketu.

“It’s great to have progressed this investigation to this point. Our thoughts are with Zain’s family.”

Police iwi liaison officers, who had been in Maketu today, would remain to help ensure those affected by the arrests had any support they needed.

The 12 people are all to appear in Tauranga Youth Court later today.

Those arrested included four men from Rotorua aged 23, 25, 29, and 54.

The seven men arrested from Maketu were aged 37, 38 and 63, two were aged 22, and two were aged 40.

A male youth was arrested in Whanganui and will appear in the Tauranga Youth Court via audio-visual link.