The prisoner who failed to return after being granted compassionate leave to attend a tangihanga for a gang member in south Auckland has handed himself back to police.
Daryl Hemopo, 27, failed to return to Mt Eden Corrections Facility after going his relative's funeral in Papakura.
The 27-year-old has a number of active warrants for serious charges including aggravated robbery, indecently assaults female over 16 and assaults police.
"The 27-year-old man previously sought by police after failing to return from compassionate bail has now been located after presenting himself earlier this evening," a police spokesperson said in a statement on Wednesday night. "Police thank the public for their assistance."
Police earlier confirmed the tangihanga was the one held for a fallen Mongrel Mob member which flouted alert level 2 restrictions.
Video footage from the funeral posted to Facebook on Monday shows a hearse being escorted by dozens of people down a street.
The car can be seen making its way through what appears to be a swarm of well over 100 people, many of whom are emblazoned in Mongrel Mob and Black Power patches and can be heard yelling gang slogans.
A haka is then performed for the deceased, before dozens pack round the back of the car to say their goodbyes and comfort one another.
Under Auckland's alert level 2.5 guidelines, gatherings of more than 10 people are prohibited - unless the event is a funeral or tangihanga. In this case, no more than 50 people can attend, the event must be registered and infection control measures must be in place.
