Teenage Murder Suspect Confessed, “Freed” and Turned Crown Law Witness: Day 3 Featured
Day 3: Crown Law Star Witness Delayed; Prosecutor Still Seeks Murder Charges
Prosecutor, Judge Cato Final Instructions to Jurors: Ignore the Media
By Sione A. Mokofisi – Editor, Times of Tonga
Nuku‘alofa: January 09, 2018 — High expectations to see and hear the Crown’s star witness, Semi Kaho, Jr. take the witness stand at the Supreme Court did not happen today. We all filed into the Supreme Courtroom #3 after 2:00 PM but one member of the jury fell ill, which caused Justice Cato to shorten the third day session.
Scheduled witnesses to take the stand for the prosecution were postponed until tomorrow. Justice Cato, however, allowed Attorney General ‘Aminiasi Kefu’s opening statement to proceed.
Legal maneuvers by the defense made technical changes regarding their pleas, but Crown Law is still seeking two murder counts, plus armed robbery and destroying transportation property against Sitiveni ‘Esi Muli. Crown Law gave its Opening Statement to the jury focusing on proving that the accused had “intention to murder” before and during the killing of Chinese guest immigrants Sujie Wen and Fengsheng Pei on February 25, 2018.
IGNORE THE MEDIA: PROSECUTOR
While instructing the jury on their civil duties to judge the proceedings of the trial, AG Kefu cautioned the seven-member tribunal to ignore the media. He reminded them that the media were not eye-witnesses at the crime, and their reports are often second-hand information clouded with disinformation details.
“Do not let anyone tell you that they have the truth,” AG Kefu spoke in Tonga while the translator interpreted for Justice Cato. The latter also gave his own cautionary instructions to the jury.
“Do not contact anyone, do not listen to anyone else who might claim to have knowledge of what transpired on February 25, 2018, at the victims’ farm,” Kefu continued. “We will present witnesses, evidences, and our best legal preparations to seek justice for Sujie Wen and Fengsheng Pei. There are only two eye witnesses to the crime who are still alive: the accused and Semi Kaho, Jr.
“We will present him tomorrow because we believe his version of what took place. They went to the farm of Sujie Wen and Fengsheng Pei with intentions to steal their vehicle, and when they were discovered the accused had intentions to murder the victims,” Kefu continued.
He described briefly what the prosecution will present in the next few days: photos of the murdered victims for the jury to view; weapons used in the killings; the only witness who is alive to the killing besides the accused; medical doctors to explain in details the meaning of the wounds delivered to the victims; followed by his summation to end the prosecution case.
The defense lawyer will also get his time to present the accused version of what took place, said AG Kefu. But he admonished the jury that the weight of justice rests on their shoulders to judge the proceedings based entirely on the testimonies and evidences.
END DAY 3…
(With all rights reserved by the author, this report is authorized to be published by Nepituno.to.)
8 comments
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ULUI M...KO E U'U PE PI KO HONO HOKA...'Oatu 'a e tali fakatatau mo ho'o lea manuki mai fakatatau ki hoku ta'u motu'á? pea ke toki lau ko e siolalo atu, pea teu puke hangē ko ho'o manuki mai ki he vaivai?
Ko e tālanga eni 'a e kakai lalahi, pea 'oua teke ha'u 'o talauhu'imai 'o kapau 'oku si'isi'i ho'o 'iló ki he faiongoongo mei he fakamaau'angá.. Ko e fakahā atu 'a e totonú 'oku 'ikai ke toe kole fakamolemole. Ko e totonu tau'atāina leá 'oku faka-Konisitūtone neongo 'a e 'ita 'a e fakamaau'angá 'ihe felaauaki 'a e Face Book mo e Internet. Ko e totonu 'a e kakai ke fakahā honau le'ó 'oku ta fakatou lava ai 'o pulusi 'eta fakakaukau ke lau 'e he Tonga kotoa. -
Oku ke fu'u afungi tama. Ai pea tuku ho'o siolalo ai pea mau pehee e kimautolu oku haohaoa taha pe ha'auu ia fakamatala. Oku ikai kemau tui kimautolu kia Akilisi, pea he'ikai kemau tui kimautolu ki he ngaahi ongoongo fakapalataha oku ke fai. Tuku e siolalo moe afungi he oku ikai feunga ia mo ho ta'umotu'a.
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MO'ONI 'A CATO, KĀKĀ 'A ULUI M...'Omi pe konga 'o e me'a 'a Fakamaau Cato ki he kau faiongoongö ka e 'ikai 'oami 'a 'ene fakapapau'i 'a e "the public has a right to know..."'Oku 'I ai 'a e totonu 'a e kakai kenau 'ilo ki he ngaahi me'a 'oku hoko 'I falehopó." 'A ia 'oku ke fūfū'i 'e koe ULUI M. 'a e konga 'a 'ene me'á. Ko e pakupaku ia ho'o 'ilo ki he ngaahi me'a faka-mitia kau ki he laò.
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TUKU E KAPE MAI IA ULUI M. 'Oku 'asimai ai 'a e pakupaku ho 'atamai ko e talatoo pe 'oku ke lava 'o fai. 'Alu 'o fa'u ha'o faiongoongo 'e 'e lau 'e ha taha. Laumai ha me'a ngali 'oku 'iai hao 'atamai. Pea ke 'alu 'o lau 'a e Matangi Tonga he 'oku fie lau English kae 'ikai lava 'o tohi English. Ka 'oku ke ha'u ma'upe ki he Nepituno ko e 'ikai ma'u ongoongo kakato 'I he Matangi Tonga. 'Oku ke ha'u ma'upe ki he Nepituno ko 'ene kakato 'a e faiongoongo. 'Oku fakamo'oni hoku hingoa 'I he 'eku fa'utohi, ka e 'ikai kenau ma'u ha fakamatala hala ke ta'ofi au. Kohai 'a 'Akilisi Pohiva ke lau ki he temokalati 'oku nau kai tu'umalie mo hono famili mei he 'ene lohiaki'i kimoutolu. Pea mou muimui kuikui kotoa atupe.
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'Ai'ai lelei Sione na ke puke. Ko e temokalati fe ia? Oku tala e Akilisi oku ikai ketau temokalati.
Kole atu ki he Nepituno oua toe tukuange mai ha'ane news, oku falala'anga ange 'a e news 'a e Matangi Tonga, e faifai pea mo'ua e Nepituno heene ngaue. Kai ha'o fo'i 'asikilimi 'e 300 keke mokomoko e.
Mooni a Cato:"He reminded them that the media were not eye-witnesses at the crime, and their reports are often second-hand information clouded with disinformation details".
Koia ai, totoomui hifo na ke puke! -
ULUI M. 'OKU KE KEI TUFITUFI VEVE HO'O KUMI ONGOONGO...Kuo temokalati 'a Tonga, 'oku 'ikai kei pule'i fakapo'uli 'a e fakamaau lao, pe fakapulipuli 'I Tonga ni. Ko e tatali ki he kakato ha 'oku ke fiema'u?
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KATAKI ULUI M...'Oku 'ikai ko e fakamaau'anga 'a e Pule'anga Kominiusi eni...ko e temokalati 'a Tonga. 'Oku 'ikai fai 'a e fakamaau totonu 'I he fakapulipuli. 'Oku fai 'ihe 'ata tasilosilo mai ki tu'a. Me'a ange 'o fanongo ka e tuku ho'o fanongo talanoa.
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E vakai'i ki Fakamaau'anga pe na'e ngofua ke tukuange leva ha news ki he hopo koeni he oku teeki ke kakato e