Jurors Bring 3 “Guilty” Verdicts to End Murder Trial ^Featured

Nuku‘alofa – Sitiveni ‘Esi Muli (17) was found guilty by a seven-member jury in all three charges (2 murders, 1 armed robbery) that caused the cruel murder of Sujie Wen (50) and Fengsheng Pei (55) on February 25, 2018. Justice Cato announced the punishments immediately after 3:00 PM today:

“In the murder case of Fengsheng Pei, imprisonment for life; the murder of Sujie Wen, imprisonment for life; armed robbery, 11 years imprisonment,” Justice Cato read. The seven-member jury took one hour for their deliberation. The Jury Chairman answered all three questions asked by the court clerk: How do you find the defendant on Count 1; Count 2; and Count 3? Guilty. Guilty. Guilty!

The trial took nine days. Witnesses were called by the prosecutor, Crown Attorney General, ‘Aminiasi Kefu. Star witness Sami Kefu, Jr. (15) took the witness stand on the third day. He had received full pardon by the prosecutor to turn government witness.

“Sami Kaho’s testimony is crucial to this case because he is the only other witness, other than the accused, who was present at the crime scene, and is still alive,” explained Kefu on the third day of this trial. “We have given him the benefit of the ‘witness protection’ because we believe he did not participate in the killing of the two victims.”

The mood was somber in the tiny Supreme Court Room #3 as members of the public and the media filed out. The mother of guilty defender Stiveni Muli was seen sobbing as she exited the courtroom. The Chinese family members of Sujie Wen and Fengsheng Pei, including their son Chi Chi, his wife Bai Xue, and cousin Na Deng hugged each other, but were subdued because of Justice Cato’s warning.

“I don’t want any wild celebration in this courtroom during the jury’s presentation of their verdicts,” said Justice Cato before the jury was brought into the courtroom. “If you feel you could not restraint yourself, you may want to excuse yourself right now.”

Following the jury’s rendering their decision, Justice Cato advised them that they were free to depart after he ordered the clerk to process their pay immediately. He told the four-men, three-women jury it was the best group of Tongan citizens he had seen behaved during a difficult trial.

“I want to congratulate you all for performing your civic duties brilliantly,” he said after he ordered the two Police officers to escort the guilty defendant Sitiveni ‘Esi Muli outside, and on to the Prison Transport. “I don’t want to see any problems from the public to the prisoner outside. I want you escort him outside to the Prison vehicle.”

This column will review each day of this trial in the next few days. Please tune in and learn about how our justice system works.