Three men have been convicted today at Tonga’s Supreme Court of killing Sione Feimoefiafi in February last year.
The trio were standing trial for murder, but the Supreme Court judge found them guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter.
A fourth man was convicted of common assault on the murder charge after pleading guilty and was released on bail.
The fifth accused Sione Bloomfield had also pleaded guilty to one count of common assault.
All five will appear in court next month for sentencing.
Siafa Nai ,39, was found not guilty of Feimoefiafi’s murder but guilty of manslaughter and was remanded in custody for sentencing.
Kona’i Bloomfield ,43, was acquitted on the murder charge but was found guilty of manslaughter.
Justice Charles Cato found Vilaketi Bloomfield not guilty on the murder charge but found him guilty of manslaughter.
Tangi Tiufulusi was guilty of common assault of Feimoefiafi and he was bailed out to be sentenced later.
Feimoefiafi, 49, arrived in Tonga in early January 2019 to attend his father’s funeral. He was beaten during a brawl inside Tali’eva bar in capital Nuku’alofa.
He died in hospital later that evening. Police arrested the accused the following day.
….More to come
