Lasike rape case goes to Supreme Court [1]
Monday, March 27, 2006 - 22:19. Updated on Wednesday, October 1, 2014 - 10:18.
Police Magistrate Peau Pifeleti this morning announced that there is a case against Noble Lasike on an alleged rape charge.
Peau said he would file his decision with the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court on May 8 for a hearing date to be set.
A preliminary inquiry into a criminal case, alleging that the Hon. Lasike raped a 25-year-old woman was concluded at the Nuku'alofa Police Magistrate's Court on Monday March 20, but the presiding Magistrate, Peau Pifeleti withheld his decision until today.
He said that after listening and examining the credibility of the complainant...s evidence he found her evidence to be reliable.
He said that he did not find all the evidence that was given by the 10 witnesses who were called by the Crown Prosecutor to be reliable and consistent, but he said that in a rape case it was very important for the perpetrator to be identified and confirmed, and in this case Lasike was identified by the complainant and it was not disputed in court.
After the ruling for the case to be submitted to the Supreme Court the counsel for the defendant Mana Kaufusi (who stood in today for William Clive Edwards) said the defendant chose to be tried before the Judge Alone in the Nuku...alofa Supreme Court.
The preliminary inquiry began in Nuku...alofa Magistrate's Court on March 15-20. The Police Prosecutor was Assistant Police Commander ...Unga Fa...aoa and William Clive Edwards was consel for the accused.