The grieving children of a father stabbed to death for his part in a love triangle gone wrong have told his killer that he will face the might of God for taking their father’s life.
Seniola Kafoa was convicted on the lesser charge of manslaughter.
According to Hawai‘i media, jurors handed down the verdict after concluding that Sione Paletua’s death resulted from reckless, not intentional, actions.
The decision means Kafoa will face up to 20 years in prison instead of life behind bars.
Paletua’s eldest daughter, Mafileo, says justice was not served.
“One day he will have to meet his maker, the man above, and he will have to answer to him on why he did what he did,” the Hawaii Now quoted Mafileo as saying.
Court documents say Kafoa attacked Paletua with a machete and left him for dead on a road in Kaanapali in July 2024 because Paletua was having an affair with Kafoa’s wife.
Paletua’s children say their mother passed away in 2011 following a battle with breast cancer. Their father’s death now leaves seven siblings, ranging from 16 to 30 years old, as orphans.
“We already lost our mom. Now we lost our father and our youngest sibling, our brother, who’s named after my dad, has to go through the rest of his life without his parents. and it’s not fair,” said Mafileo Paletua.
As for their father’s killer, the Paletuas say they’ll be in the courtroom for his sentencing on July 29.
Sione’s daughter Talamasina Paletua had this to say when asked if she had a message for Kafoa:
“I would probably say I’ll never forgive you… and that’s pretty much it.”
