Man attacked estranged wife with illegal firearm [1]
Tuesday, January 22, 2008 - 18:13. Updated on Wednesday, July 22, 2015 - 10:27.
A 37-year-old man was acquitted in the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court on Friday, January 18 of attempting to murder his wife with an illegally-possessed .22 rifle, but the jury found him guilty on other charges of causing her bodily harm.
Soane Kohinoa appeared for his jury trial on January 14 charged with seven counts relating to an incident at Tofoa on April 16, 2007.
He pleaded guilty to two charges of possessing an illegal firearm and bullets.
But he pleaded not guilty to a charge of attempted murder, causing grievous bodily harm to his wife Laukau when he fired the .22 rifle injuring her left chin.
He also pleaded not guilty to two charges of causing bodily harm when he hit Laukau with the rifle injuring her left forehead and nose, and not guilty to a charge of firing bullets in an intention to threaten.
The court was told that the couple started to experience marriage problems in 2005, which resulted in Laukau leaving her husband to live with another man.
On April 16 the accused went to the home where his wife was living with her lover, and attacked her at gunpoint.
After a four days hearing, the jurors acquitted the accused on the charges of attempted murder and grievous bodily harm.
However they found him guilty on the five charges, including causing bodily harm, possessing an illegal firearm, and firing bullets in an intention to threaten.
Justice Warwick Andrew will deliver his sentencing on February 29.