My son did not kill his twin boys, says grandfather

Chris Kahui

The Kahui twins' grandfather has backed his son's claims that he did not kill them.

In an interview on Campbell Live last night, Bill Kahui could not say who was responsible for the deaths of the 3-month-old twins but was adamant it was not his son, Chris.

The interview was screened hours after Chris Kahui was questioned by police for five hours yesterday. Police described their meeting with him as a "major development".

The twins died 3 1/2 months ago on June 18 in Starship children's hospital, five days after they were taken to Middlemore Hospital with head injuries.

They also had broken ribs, inflicted before the head injuries, and one had a broken thighbone.

Mr Kahui said his son was a "family man" who "wouldn't have done something like that".

"I'm clear he couldn't have done it. To be quite honest I don't think it happened that night," he said.

"I think the symptoms showing there must have happened prior to that. That's what I think. I would say this must have happened prior to that Monday, anyway."

Mr Kahui also said he saw no signs of bruising on either baby.

He said Chris Kahui had been staying in hospital looking after his mother, Gwen Hetaraka.

Chris Kahui had come home from the hospital and went to feed the twins but found his son Chris was not breathing.

Bill Kahui said when he saw that his son didn't know what he was doing he took over and gave the baby compressions to help with his breathing.

Mr Kahui said the baby started breathing again but instead of taking him to the hospital he was more concerned about where the twins' mother, Macsyna King, was.

"That's the dumbest part ... your first thought is 111 but I was just looking for the mother ... I can't explain why," he said.

Mr Kahui could not find Ms King. She came home the next morning.

"She was the mother, the nurse ... I never looked after the young ones ... I never really saw them.

"This was the second time I had seen them in three months ... I didn't know much about the twins," said Mr Kahui.

Head of the inquiry into the homicide, Detective Senior Sergeant John Tims, said after the interview yesterday an arrest still had not been made.

Police have accused the family of "stonewalling" the inquiry by refusing to co-operate.

Chris Kahui, 21, fronted up to the South Auckland police station in Otahuhu just after 8am yesterday morning with his lawyer Lorraine Smith. They did not respond to media questions as they walked from a nearby carpark.

Chris Kahui, who was wearing a white shirt, dark blue jeans and black sneakers, kept his eyes down and remained silent as he made his way inside.

He was met inside the police station by Mr Tims.

At 1.15pm, Chris Kahui and Ms Smith emerged and walked back to Ms Smith's car without answering questions from the media.

"There has been no arrest in the Kahui homicide but [yesterday's] interview is a major development for us," said Mr Tims. "We are one step closer to completing the jigsaw puzzle."

He would not comment on what was said during the interview but said Chris Kahui had been co-operative.

"[Chris Kahui] has made a third statement. There may be questions that we will want to put to him in the future.

"There are other family members that we need to speak to, to finish their statements."

Mr Tims wouldn't comment on which family members he wanted to speak to.

Chris Kahui told the Sunday-Star Times this week he did not kill his sons. Following his comments, Mr Tims had said it was time for Chris Kahui to speak to police again.