Psychiatrist cites fatal stabbing in decision to leave public health system

The psychiatrist who treated Zakariye Mohamed Hussein said the woman he murdered has changed their life forever.

Laisa Waka Tunidau was stabbed to death outside her Sockburn home in June 2022. Hussein was serving a life sentence for that killing and had previously spent more than six years in prison for a string of kidnappings and stabbings in 2012. At the time of the murder, he was on unescorted community leave from Hillmorton Hospital. The second phase of the inquest into her death resumed in Christchurch on Tuesday. More than 20 medical staff involved in Hussein's care are scheduled to testify.

A clinician who treated Hussein between 2015 and 2022 began their testimony on Tuesday afternoon. Their identity was suppressed by the court. Before answering questions, the clinician addressed the family in the public gallery. They said the events of 25 June 2022 meant they could no longer ignore the absence of Waka Tunidau. The clinician noted that while they returned to everyday family moments, Waka Tunidau's family had to live with the loss of someone they should still be sharing those moments with.

The clinician told the court that the death had a profound effect on them. It changed the direction of their career. Combined with sector concerns, the event was a very significant part of why they felt they could not continue working within clinical medicine at Health New Zealand or the local forensic service. The clinician raised concerns in a letter to the director of mental health in January 2022. That letter outlined instances where acutely unwell patients were returned to prison. It also noted incidents following efforts to move patients to less secure units.

Staffing difficulties and pathway issues between forensic and general adult mental health services were also cited. The clinician said they were trying to meet complex needs with limited resources while staff worked under considerable strain. They stepped down from leadership roles in that context. Counsel assisting the coroner asked about the decision to permit Hussein for unescorted leave in early 2022. The clinician explained that the team decided to shift Hussein toward a rehabilitation based pathway. They said the decision reflected five months of successful community living and three years without violence. The clinician will resume their evidence on Wednesday.