Lokoua Taufahema (left) was found not guilty Monday of killing his wife, Halaevalu Laionosi Taufahema (right), in 2014
A jury in Nuku’alofa has found a Tongatapu man on Monday 23 not guilty of murder but guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter of his wife Halaevalu Laionosi Taumoe’anga Taufahema.
Lokoua Taufahema, 43, pleaded guilty to his charge for manslaughter but he declared a not-guilty plea in March for his charge of murdering the victim. He will be sentenced by Justice Charles Cato on December 18.
The jury heard a post modem examination found Halaevalu died after her body was doused with boiling cooking oil sometimes in December 26, 2014 before she was rushed to hospital by relatives. Prosecutors accused Lokoua scalded his wife with the hot-boiling cooking oil while she was asleep.
