Police contingent honour mishap victim

The grief was palpable among the mourners at Liku Onesi's funeral yesterday at the Otara Tongan Methodist Church. Photo / Sarah Ivey

The family of a woman killed in a collision with a police car last week welcomed officers into her funeral with open arms yesterday.

Mother-of-four Liku Onesi was farewelled by hundreds at the Otara Tongan Methodist Church, where she was killed on Wednesday as her husband was turning into the grounds.

Sione Onesi, who suffered minor injuries, sat in the front row of the church yesterday with his arm in a sling while the couple's children and other family members sat around the white coffin.

Mourners wore traditional skirts and black hooded sweatshirts with Mrs Onesi's face printed on the front and her favourite psalm emblazoned on the back.

Two rows of seats at the front of the church had been reserved for the 20 police officers who attended to honour Mrs Onesi, and family members shook their hands as they arrived.

The Rev Setaita Veikune led the service, which was conducted mostly in Tongan. She said Mrs Onesi was a dedicated member of the congregation.

"She lies here in the very place that she cherished.

"Every Wednesday morning, she was here to shine this church in preparation for every Wednesday service. Every Saturday morning, she was here to clean, to shine, to prepare with her husband for every Sunday service. It's eight years now without fail."

Mrs Onesi was a deeply religious person, who dedicated her life to God, Ms Veikune said.

"She went about doing everything believing in what you cannot see, so that on a day like today, she rejoices in glory."

After the two-hour service, police blocked off part of Ormiston Rd outside the church and provided an escort for the hearse to Papatoetoe Cemetery.

Several family members rode in police cars, and officers directing traffic saluted as the cortege went past.

Sione and Liku Onesi had been on their way to clean the church when an officer heading to a burglary in nearby Preston Rd collided with them.

An officer from outside Auckland has been brought in to investigate the crash and the Independent Police Complaints Authority and the coroner will carry out their own investigations.