Pauline Hanna: Man charged with murdering Auckland health boss more than 16 months after her death

  • 16/08/2022

A man has been charged with murder following the death of a top health boss in Auckland more than 16 months ago.

Pauline Hanna, also known as Pauline Polkinghorne, was found dead on April 5 last year in the Upland Rd home in Remuera where she lived in with her husband Philip Polkinghorne.

Officers scoured the property for nearly two weeks but, as of April 5 this year, the death was still being treated as "unexplained".

Hanna, 63, was a top health director at Counties Manukau District Health Board.

Det Insp Aaron Pascoe said on Tuesday a 69-year-old man has now been arrested and charged with murder.

"He is due to appear in the Auckland District Court later today," he said.

No further comment could be provided as the matter was now before the court, Pascoe said.

In the year after Hanna's death, the police investigation has been shrouded in secrecy. It was reported Hanna hired a private investigator before she died while detectives had also reportedly interviewed a large number of her husband's associates.