Witness heard accused Pulu thank people smashing hotel [1]
Friday, June 27, 2008 - 19:02. Updated on Tuesday, July 28, 2015 - 16:38.
A witness told the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court today, that he saw and heard the accused 'Isileli Pulu thank the rioters who were damaging the Pacific Royale Hotel on November 16, 2006.
'Amanaki Paea, the General Manager of the Tonga Cooperative Federation, and a witness of the Crown, said around 3pm on November 16, he was at a café at their office when a worker ran and told him that the Prime Minister's Office was being smashed.
At the same time he heard noise coming from the road and he ran and stood in front of the TCF Building opposite the Tungi Arcade block on Taufa'ahau Road.
He said when they got there, a group of boys came and started stoning the hotel and at the same time more people arrived in the area including the Tongatapu no. 2 People's Representative, 'Isileli Pulu.
"When 'Isi arrived there were people stoning and smashing the windows and were bringing items such as chairs out of the hotel. I then saw and heard him thanking the people who were stoning the hotel, the witness confirmed.
He then saw the accused move to the Tungi Arcade and stood in the middle road and talked on his mobile phone while looking around for what he estimated to be about two to four minutes.
Thanked rioters
"He thanked the rioters many times," he said, "Malo, Malo or thank you around eight to ten times," the witness said.
He said the rioters then left the area of the hotel and after a short while the Shoreline area came up in smoke.
A group which included 'Isileli Pulu returned to town with more people and they continued stoning and burning the hotel.
"I heard others shout that the next destination was the Leiola Duty Free Shop and then they proceeded on their way but I did not see 'Isi do anything," he said.
Abetment to Murder
People's Representative 'Isileli Pulu, has pleaded not guilty to charges of abetment to murder and abetment to arson relating to the deaths in the Shoreline building fire during the riots of November 16, 2006, in which he is alleged to have indirectly incited his two co-accused to commit the crimes of murder and arson.
The co-accused, Sosefo 'Amone and Siosiua 'Ulutaufonua are charged with nine counts each of murder and arson endangering life.