Poor health keeps captured fugitive from court

A terminal cancer sufferer who was this month the subject of a major manhunt missed a court appearance today because he was sick.

Tifiga Atanoa, 33, was due to appear in Manukau District Court today on firearms and drugs charges.

But Detective Senior Sergeant Neil Grimstone said his appearance had been postponed.

"I was going to be there today but I was told he was too sick to attend," he said.

Atanoa, a patched Mongrel Mob member, was on the run for 12 days after failing to attend a court hearing.

Police said he was suffering from terminal cancer, was using methamphetamine drug P heavily and had told several sources he would not be taken by police.

It was not known whether the cancer was the reason he missed his court appearance.

Atanoa was arrested on June 9 by armed police. He was to have appeared in Manukau District Court on June 10 but his unruly behaviour ruled out an appearance in court and in a brief court cell hearing, he was remanded in custody.

Two days later he was in a docile mood, calm and smiling, when he appeared in Manukau District Court, held in Papakura because of power cuts.

His lymph node cancer was evident in his court appearance, with a large tumour growing on the right side of his neck. Police said he had little time to live.

Three other people were arrested and charged in connection with the case. They included his girlfriend Paula Tromp de Haas, 20, who faced a charge of helping Atanoa avoid arrest.

- NZPA