A spokeswoman for Crown Solicitor Greg Hollister-Jones told The Associated Press on Friday that the charge has been dropped due to issues with the sufficiency of the evidence against Rudd.

Rudd, 60, was charged one day earlier in the Tauranga District Court with attempting to procure murder, which comes with a maximum 10 year prison sentence. He was accused of trying to arrange two killings.

Three lesser charges against Rudd remain. Those include threatening to kill and possession of methamphetamine and possession of marijuana.