Man charged with murder of 19-year-old [1]
Tuesday, May 13, 2014 - 10:45. Updated on Tuesday, May 13, 2014 - 13:36.
A 32-year-old man, who turned himself in to the Tonga Police, has been charged with the murder of a 19-year-old man, who was found lying injured in front of the Government Primary School at Hala-‘o-Vave on Sunday morning.
The accused man turned himself in on Sunday, May 11. He is alleged to have assaulted the victim before dumping the injured man in front of the Government Primary School at Hala-‘o-Vave.
Tonga Police confirmed today that the Nuku’alofa Police Station at 3:00am on Sunday morning received a report of an injured person found in front of the primary school compound.
Police rushed the victim to Vaiola Hospital in a critical condition, but he died a few hours later on that same morning.
The accused from Hala-‘o-Vave admitted that he had committed an assault.
It is alleged around 2:00am on Sunday morning the accused came and found the victim inside his car, which was parked in front of the ‘Uliti Uata Building in the CBD, and he believed that he was trying to steal his car radio. He told police he was angry and assaulted the victim inside the car using his fist before taking him to another location where he continued the assault.
He allegedly then went and dumped the victim in front of the primary school before fleeing.
The murder accused remains in custody. No date has been set yet for his appearance in court.
The victim from Ha‘afeva in Ha‘apai was staying at Pili. It is understood that he had recently travelled to Nuku’alofa with his parents to attend the Church of Tonga Annual Conference, currently being held this week.