Leon Tuirirangi Hakaraia has beaten a murder rap and is back with his "brothers".
Two days after walking free from the Palmerston North District Court after four months in Manawatu Prison on remand, he is back at Mongrel Mob headquarters, wearing Mob colours, his neck covered in love bites and a can of beer in his hand.
Alleged trigger man Hakaraia and two associates walked when a 16-year-old Black Power prospect refused to identify who shot his friend and fellow prospect Wallace Whatuira, also 16, in the suburb of Highbury on Waitangi Day.
The Mongrel Mob denies threatening or intimidating the witness, claiming the only pressure the boy was under was from the police.
"They typed up a statement to their satisfaction and all he had to do was sign it," Hakaraia said. "The police made a public gallery out of us to please the public and his [Wallace's] family."
Hakaraia has gone straight back to his old lifestyle. He said his aim was to help build up the Aotearoa chapter of the gang.
"I'm gonna keep doggin' on, getting on with life to the best of my abilities - it's a dog's life."
It is clear that the 23-year-old has gained status among other "dogs" for walking away from a serious charge, although they know police are treating the case as unresolved.
"It's not over, it will never be over," said chapter spokesman Sovite "VT Dogg" Su'a.
"The police are amateurs for the way they handled this - they locked up three brothers for four months on one statement."
The witness told police six days after the shooting that he saw Hakaraia - his uncle on his mother's side - leap into the air and fire a gun in Wallace's direction.
But in court he refused to name Hakaraia as the shooter and the charge was dropped.
Hakaraia has been with the Mob for two years and received his patch shortly before the shooting. He is well known to Palmerston North police and has served jail time before. His longest stint was about two years.
He had just been released from prison when Wallace was shot.
As he spoke to the Herald outside the gang's pad in Cowley Pl this week, a young prospect got down on his hands and knees to clean the wheels of a modified Ford Fairmont.
Every 10 minutes or so a police patrol car crawled by the end of the cul-de-sac, stopping for a few seconds as the officers stared intently at number 16.
The Mob calls this police intimidation and mind games.
Police say they are just trying to keep the community safe and want to be ready for trouble.
In Highbury it is common for relatives or old school friends to join different gangs. One of Hakaraia's brothers is Black Power.
The gangs often have to cross each other's turf - Wallace and four friends were walking along Farnham Ave near Cowley Pl after midnight when they heard the terrifying sounds of the approaching "mutts" (Mob) making their signature barking noises.
But Hakaraia claims he was not there. "I was at home with my mumsies [girlfriend]," he said.
He had no idea who shot Wallace and said "no comment" when asked if he thought it was gang-related. He denied being related to the witness.
Asked what he had to say to the Whatuira family, he said: "Nothing, I didn't do nothing."
Hakaraia is not jubilant at beating the charge.
"No one won.
"The only thing I am celebrating is my freedom. They've lost a member and we've lost our dignity and respect in the community."
Status rise after Mongrel Mob member walks free
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