New Zealand man sentenced to life in jail for murder of policeman: ‘I will never ever forgive you’

‘You could have stopped any time… but you persisted,’ judge says

Epiha had shot and injured other policemen at the site before fatally targeting Hunt (Getty Images)

A man who had admitted to killing police constable Matthew Hunt in New Zealand in June 2020 has been sentenced to life imprisonment for 27 years without parole.

Gang member Eli Epiha was arrested last year after he shot Hunt in the back four times even as he attempted to flee, and then continued to shoot the constable again till he fell.

While sentencing Epiha to life in jail on Friday, the Auckland High Court said he could have stopped anytime while attacking the constable. “You could have stopped any time… but you persisted,” Justice Geoffrey Venning said, calling his actions “callous and cruel”.

The 28-year-old constable, along with the other police and traffic officers, were at the spot after Epiha crashed his car in Auckland. Epiha had shot and injured other policemen at the site before fatally targeting Hunt.

He claimed in court that he acted recklessly without intention — a charge that was dismissed by Justice Venning.

This was the first time in 11 years that a New Zealand officer had been killed in the line of duty. Hunt’s partner David Goldfinch had also been shot at thrice by Epiha that day.

Epiha admitted to killing Hunt but denied the charges of attacking Mr Goldfinch. But the court has found Epiha guilty of that charge as well.

Denying Epiha parole, Justice Venning pointed to his track record of violence and lack of remorse. “You maintained throughout the trial that your actions were reckless and you refused to take responsibility,” the judge said.

Constable Hunt’s mother Diane Hunt, present in the court, told Epiha: “I will never ever forgive you.”

“My son was unarmed and running away from you when you shot him four times in the back,” she added. “And I will never get over the fact that he lost his life in such a horrific way.”

She said she could not have asked for a better son, and added that she had also received a sentence as she will never watch her son grow up and achieve milestones such as getting married, reported Radio New Zealand.