Disgraced ex-cop Peter Pakau stripped of superannuation

Former West Auckland cop Peter Pakau. Photo / Supplied

A former police officer jailed for drug offences and accepting bribes has had his superannuation taken off him.

Peter Pakau is serving eight years and four months in prison for selling methamphetamine, after pleading guilty to 14 charges including corruption, supplying and manufacturing a class A controlled drug, accepting bribes and conspiracy to defeat the course of justice.

The former west Auckland officer searched the police's intelligence computer system for associates and gave secret police information to gang members.

Today the Commissioner of Police was successful in its application to recover funds from Pakau's superannuation, earned during his time at the police, through the Criminal Proceeds Recovery Act.

More than $50,400 was being held by the Crown by a restraining order. But after his debts were paid a figure of around $22,000 remained.

In the High Court at Auckland today, that money was ordered to remain with the Crown "absolutely".

The money was part of a settlement negotiation between the Commissioner and Pakau, Justice Paul Heath said.

"It will involve the payment of the balance of Mr Pakau's superannuation of funds totalling $50,478.87. That sum has been used to repay debts accrued against him, with approximately $22,000 remaining restrained," Justice Heath said.

"By consent I make an order under section 50 of the Act for the balance of Mr Pakau's police superannuation account [$22,000], currently in the custody and control of the Official Assignee, together with the interest held, to be vested in the Crown absolutely, and is to be in the Official Assignee's custody and control."

Pakau, 37, was jailed in November for a string of offences committed while he was on duty and wearing police uniform.

The disgraced cop assisted in the $12,000 sale of 28 grams of methamphetamine and picked up 70g of methamphetamine from a house in his police car.

In October his wife Diane Pakau, 34, was sentenced to 140 hours community work for her role in the offending. The mother-of-five admitted a charge of receiving $500, which she knew was the proceeds of her husband's drug dealing.