'I'll see cop who shot son'

Ivoni Fuimaono. Photo / Janna Dixon

The police officer who shot and killed an innocent teenager caught up in a motorway shootout will testify in secret this week - with the slain boy's parents watching.

The parents of Halatau Naitoko will be the only members of the public allowed to attend the inquest into their son's death when it resumes this week, his mother Ivoni Fuimaono said last night.

Naitoko was 17 when he was struck by a bullet fired by an officer at armed Stephen McDonald on Auckland's Northwestern Motorway.

He was caught up in the police efforts to stop McDonald while working for the family courier business, Kiwi Express.

An inquest into the death struck trouble when it came to hearing evidence from the two police officers involved in the shooting.

A range of options were being considered for hearing evidence after the officers raised concerns about being identified.

Fuimaono said she and husband Kepu Teputepu had to sign an affidavit promising not to reveal what they heard in the inquest.

"I had no choice you know. I had no choice. It was either, 'yes I agree to that' or I don't get to see the officers at all."

She had not met the officers involved in the shooting, and was unsure what her reaction would be on seeing them.

Fuimaono said she had wanted to meet the officers and believed they lacked courage in not meeting her.

"But then, I think, they don't have the freedom I have. I mean, I can still talk to people, I can celebrate the first anniversary of Tau's death - but I don't think they can do anything because they are sitting there probably scared someone might know who they are."

While the officers had not been identified by name, Fuimaono said the officer who fired the fatal bullet had been given the moniker "Officer 84".

Fuimaono said despite not meeting that officer the police had been in regular contact.

The police had also arranged for the destruction of the van that Naitoko was driving when he was killed.

"Looking at it everyday it will just bring back bad memories. So we told the police to destroy it because we didn't want it back," said Fuimaono.

"But I was planning to go and sleep in the van everyday to be close to Halatau. I mean it was his last resting place before he died but my mum and dad said no."

The loss of their son had also hurt the family financially with Naitoko no longer contributing to the business.

Attending the inquest would add to the pressure, she said, as they will have to pay for someone to cover Kepu's courier run.

"So we have to decide whether we pay someone to do it or he doesn't come to the inquest so we are still deciding what to do."

Fuimaono said she would be attending, regardless of the cost.

"I want to finally hear everything that happened."