She announced her decision to resign from parliament yesterday, about 17 hours after a third shoplifting allegation surfaced and almost a week after the first accusation was made and she was initially stood down from her portfolios.
It also came just after security footage surfaced appearing to show Ms Ghahraman at Scotties Boutique, the Ponsonby clothing store she is alleged to have shoplifted from on two occasions, allegedly stealing a designer handbag.
Four hours after Ms Ghahraman resigned, two policemen visited her Grey Lynn home, where they received no answer when they knocked on her door.
Police have confirmed they were investigating three alleged shoplifting incidents — two at Scotties from last month and one from high-end Wellington store Cre8iveworx dating from October.
"It is clear to me that my mental health is being badly affected by the stresses relating to my work," Ms Ghahraman said in a statement yesterday.
"This has led me to act in ways that are completely out of character.
"I’m sorry.
"It’s not a behaviour I can explain because it’s not rational in any way, and after medical evaluation, I understand I’m not well," she said.
Ms Ghahraman made New Zealand history as the first refugee to be sworn in as an MP, having arrived in New Zealand as a child asylum seeker with her family from Iran.
She was selected as a Green Party list candidate in January 2017.
In last year’s election, Ms Ghahraman was ranked No 7 on the Green Party’s list.
Former Wellington mayor Celia Wade-Brown will take Ms Ghahraman’s seat in Parliament.
By Raphael Franks
