New Zealand

Mother wants open inquiry into soldier's suicide

22:14 pm on 6 March 2013

The mother of a New Zealand solider who committed suicide while serving in Afghanistan last year, says she wants an open inquiry into her son's death.

Coroner Gordon Matenga has ruled there is no need for further investigation, as a Court of Inquiry had already been carried out by the Defence Force.

Corporal Douglas Hughes. Photo: NZ DEFENCE FORCE

Mr Matenga ruled Corporal Douglas Hughes's death was a suicide and suppressed details about the findings by the Court of Inquiry.

But Corporal Hughes's mother, Venus Poa, says she wants all the details surrounding her son's death released.

Ms Poa says the Army presented her with a report asking how she felt about how releasing those details would impact on her family's privacy.

She says she told them that she would make a decision on that once the Coroner's report was released.

Ms Poa says she wants answers to what occurred in the hours before her son's suicide.

Meanwhile, the Crown Law Office said on Wednesday it is investigating a complaint that a suppression order over the death of Corporal Hughes has been breached.

Material regarding the death was published in the Sunday Star-Times at the weekend.

A spokesperson for the Solicitor-General said the Coroner's Office has lodged a complaint about possible breaches of Mr Matenga's suppression order.

Listen to Checkpoint interview with Venus Poa