Top cop in Kahui inquiry fronts inquest

Chris Kahui was found not guilty of the twins' murder. Photo / Greg Bowker

The inquest into the death of the Kahui twins has opened today with the officer in charge of the case taking the stand.

Detective Sergeant Chris Barry is giving evidence at the Coroner's inquiry into the deaths of Chris and Cru Kahui at Auckland. The twins died at Auckland's Starship Hospital of brain trauma in June 2006.

Mr Barry was heavily criticised for the police investigation during the five-and-a-half week trial of the twins' father Chris Kahui.

Mr Barry has outlined the police investigation into the deaths. He told the court that the police had carried out 700 inquiries and 200 formal statements.

He told the court that Mr Kahui performed CPR on baby Cru after the baby stopped breathing.

Mr Barry quoted the brother of the twins' mother Macsyna King.
"Stuart King said Cru's lips were dark purple and he kept getting darker and darker," Mr Barry said.

He said Mr King also said the baby's eyes rolled back in his head and after CPR from Chris Kahui, his hands shook as he took in each breath.

"It sounded like sucking in drink through a straw," Mr Barry said, quoting Mr King.

He said Chris Kahui was asked if he should call an ambulance but according to Mr King, he answered: "Nah, nah, he's breathing again, he should be fine."

Mr Barry said police had bugged their phones but it became apparent to police that the family members suspected as much.

Mr Kahui was found not guilty by a jury of seven men and five women at the High Court in May 2008.

He is in the public gallery this morning with his partner Marcia Ngapera.

After his acquittal in 2008, Mr Kahui's lawyer Lorraine Smith accused the twins' mother Macsyna King of killing the twins.

Two rewards totalling $50,000 failed to bring in fresh information which police said was needed to charge anyone else with the murders.

Earlier this year the policeman heading the inquiry into the deaths of the infants, Detective Inspector John Tims, said there was not enough evidence to support a prosecution of Macsyna King.

Soon after the two boys died police accused the Kahui family of withholding information. They said the "tight 12" who had access to the three-month-old boys in the few days before they died had refused to co-operate with police.

The twins died in Auckland's Starship Hospital in June 2006 after being admitted with head injuries.

Ms Smith said earlier this year the inquest would bring closure for Mr Kahui.