Hijacked body laid to rest at last

Mrs Ngahooro's body was driven from Hikairo Marae near Taumarunui yesterday by family members to Hamilton, where she was buried. Photo / Alan Gibson

The family of Iva May Ngahooro want a law passed to stop body-snatching incidents.

Mrs Ngahooro was finally laid to rest yesterday afternoon in the cemetery she had chosen in her will after relatives came to an amicable agreement at the Hikairo Marae near Taumarunui.

Her family had been at odds over where to bury her since Wednesday, when her estranged daughter Joanne Bennett and four carloads of supporters _ who included Ms Bennett's 10 children _ seized Mrs Ngahooro's body from a hearse in Hamilton and took it to Taumarunui.

The incident, the third such public body-snatching case in a year, has sparked calls for a law change.

There is no law against body-snatching, and police are powerless to intervene.

Speaking to the Weekend Herald after Mrs Ngahooro's burial at the Hamilton Park Cemetery yesterday, her niece Trish Scoble urged "any politician with half a brain" to ensure such incidents never happened again.

"They need to get up and get on with it and don't wait for it to happen to anyone else ... it's soul-destroying, absolutely," she said.

Her sister, Catherine Mikkelsen, said both sides of the family had been "to hell and back" trying to come to an agreement.

"It's not a win-win situation for either party, but we are just happy to see Aunty May's wishes have been respected.

"I would like to send my condolences out to the families who have experienced this and are still experiencing this, it is just ridiculous.

"Aunty May is at peace, but we are not going to stop on this one."

Early yesterday morning, weary-looking relatives arrived at Hikairo Marae from Hamilton with a High Court injunction to take Mrs Ngahooro's body back.

And despite rumours that she was to be buried at a cemetery in Taumarunui yesterday, Ms Bennett signed the injunction after four hours of deliberations, allowing Mrs Ngahooro's body to be taken away.

A black Chrysler Valiant with the number plate 6 SIX 6 led the cortege of about 10 cars from the marae.

The occupants of some waved Mongrel Mob insignia, gave one-fingered gestures and mouthed obscenities at waiting media.

After a winding 2-hour journey through the heart of the King Country, the cortege arrived at the cemetery in Newstead in the early afternoon.

The two sides of the family met and exchanged handshakes, hugs and kisses before Mrs Ngahooro's body was carried to her grave.

Ms Bennett, who refused to talk to reporters, clutched a framed picture of her mother and was surrounded by some of her children.

Mrs Ngahooro's oldest son, Robert Ngahooro, agreed "something has to be done" to ensure protection against body-snatching.

"The police can't do anything when these things happen because their hands are tied, it's out of their jurisdiction.

"I didn't agree with what happened, I'm just gutted it got so far."