Prostitution trial judgement reserved until April [1]
Saturday, February 5, 2011 - 16:33. Updated on Monday, September 9, 2013 - 18:40.
THE trial of Liu Lirong (45) for trafficking persons into Tonga, trading in prostitution and keeping a brothel ended at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court on Friday, February 4.
Justice Robert Shuster reserved his judgment to be delivered on April 11.
In the meantime he ordered for the Crown Prosecutor Sione Sisifa and defense counsel Laki Niu to submit their written final submissions.
The trial by judge alone ended with the defense case that called up to four witnesses including the accused.
Lirong who was the first to give evidence for the defense strongly denied the prostitution claimed by the two victims Chun Juan Du and Hong Yu Yang, who are also Chinese women nationals.
The trial began at the Supreme Court on Tuesday, January 11, where the two victims told the court that Liu had forced them into prostitution.
The trial was then adjourned for two weeks on January 17 before resuming on January 31.
Liu Lirong is charged with seven counts of trafficking persons, trading in prostitution and keeping a brothel. She has pleaded not guilty to all charges.