Four policeman have appeared in Manukau District Court facing charges of conspiring to defeat the course of justice.
Two are serving New Zealand officers, one is a former officer and the other is now believed to be serving in the Australian police force.
The charges relate to the death of 24 year-old fork-hoist driver George Harris in 2004.
Two officers were named in court. They are Clinton Hill and Benson Murphy. The other two officers have been granted name suppression.
The charges follow a high-level police inquiry into an alleged cover-up over Harris's death.
It is believed the inquiry was prompted by new information claiming Harris was beaten-up in the back of a police car shortly before dying, by Hill, who was intoxicated and off-duty at the time.
Harris then escaped from the car, only to be hit and killed by a street sweeping vehicle as Hill gave chase.
