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Video: Chris Kahui after the not guilty verdictKEY POINTS:
Chris Kahui looked skyward and fought back tears moments after a jury declared him innocent of murdering his twin baby sons.
Mr Kahui stood in the dock and trembled slightly as the jury foreman read the verdicts to a tense courtroom overflowing with Kahui family members, reporters and
members of the public.
His family - who had been urged by Justice Geoffrey Venning to respect the court and remain calm whatever the outcome - formed a circle, hugging, crying and whispering prayers.
Outside, a stunned Mr Kahui told reporters he wanted to start his life again. Asked how he felt he said: "I feel good - real good."
He wouldn't comment on his future plans and his lawyers said he "couldn't talk" about who he thought really hurt his babies.
Family spokesman Tom Ngapera said the Kahuis wanted to regroup after a difficult two-and-a-half years.
"Chris continues to express his innocence into the deaths of babies Cru and Chris and is pleased he's been eliminated as a suspect. Chris also thanks his defence counsel ... and right now the family just want to get home and regroup," Mr Ngapera said.
"At the end of the day they're so pleased with the result but this is not a time to celebrate.
"Two babies, at the end of the day, the blood of two babies still cries from the grave for justice and it's their prayers that this justice will be seen and will be done."
When told the police had called a press conference, Mr Kahui's father, Banjo, said he hoped "heads would roll".
Lawyer Lorraine Smith said she was "delighted" with the verdict.
"This is what the system is all about and the system has worked."
But she said two babies were still dead and that couldn't be forgotten.
Mrs Smith wouldn't say what she said to Mr Kahui after the verdicts were read. "That's private."
She told the Herald she wanted to thank the legal services agency in Manukau for funding the specialists who were critical in Mr Kahui's defence.
Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples was heavily involved in liaising between the twins' family and police and last night said he was relieved.
"It's my view that man wasn't responsible and that's just from talking to family members on both sides during the two years."
There were two people who knew who killed the babies and one of them needed to take responsibility.
"Only two people have any idea and they were in the court."
He wouldn't name the second person.
Dr Sharples said that for him, the enduring image of the past two years was of the brothers lying side by side.
"I think it was the fact the babies looked so young and beautiful - but dead. And battered. They must have suffered horribly."
Children's Commissioner Cindy Kiro said she hoped someone would be held accountable for the murders.
"We've heard through the court case about life on the fringe of society. Many abused children live in homes where there is inter-generational violence, drug and alcohol abuse. It will continue until family members break the wall of silence when the police come to call."
Dr Kiro said babies aged under 1 were the most likely to be murdered in New Zealand.
