From Security Guard to Jail Cell: Suli Vunipola Barred From Industry Until 2029

WELLINGTON, September 2025  - Once a certified security worker in New Zealand, Suli Vunipola is now at the center of a major PSPLA ruling that has effectively ended his career in the industry.

In September 2024, Vunipola was convicted of multiple violent offences, including:

• Impeding breathing (x2)

• Assault

• Threatening to kill

• Assault with intent to injure

• Threatening a dwelling

He was sentenced to two years six months in prison, to be served concurrently.

The Private Security Personnel Licensing Authority confirmed that these convictions made him automatically disqualified from holding a Certificate of Approval under New Zealand law.

Although his certificate had already expired on 1 September 2025, the Authority issued a stronger ruling: Vunipola is barred from applying for any new security certificate until 2029.

This decision closes the door on Vunipola’s future in the private security industry. The Authority described his crimes as too serious to overlook, reinforcing its stance that violent offenders cannot be trusted in public safety roles.

For Vunipola, this marks the end of his security career — and at least four years locked out of the industry he once worked in.