A tearful eyewitness recalled how a nightclub bouncer struck a victim repeatedly with a baseball bat on the head, in evidence presented at a murder trial being heard this week in the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court.

The trial against ‘Atonio Moeaki a former bouncer, charged with the murder of a young dentist Dr Sione Feo Lau‘i (23), started on Monday January 21 before Hon Mr Justice Cato and a jury.

The witness Meleane Finau (32) started her evidence in chief on Tuesday.

In her evidence, led by the Crown Prosecutor ‘Aminiasi Kefu, the eyewitness said on the night of February 9, 2018 she and her best friend, an Australian were driving down Vuna Road after having dinner.

As they drove past the Nauti Ruby Nightclub area she saw a confrontation happening in the parking lot.

During questioning, the witness said she was sitting in the front passenger seat and because they were curious to see what was going on they drove into the parking lot at the nightclub.

The witness said she saw the accused and Lau‘i pushing each other. 

After a few minutes she said that she saw the accused go inside the nightclub. The accused then walked out with a baseball bat to where Lau’i was. The accused held up the bat and hit Lau‘i on his forearm.

She told the court the accused had then followed or chased the victim down Vuna Road, while she and her friend followed in their vehicle. 

With the assistance of photo exhibits, the witness said as she sat from the vehicle she saw the accused struck Lau‘i five to six times on the head, on the grass area just outside the entrance to the new domestic wharf on Vuna Road. 

During the assault she saw the accused had pushed Lau‘i’s head down with one hand and the other holding the baseball bat. Lau‘i was reportedly on his knees.

There were five to six strikes to the head and three blows to his legs, the witness said.

The witness then pointed out the area where the assault allegedly took place, which is the entrance to the domestic wharf, located opposite a market on the other side of the road next to the Australian High Commissioner’s residence. 

The witness said a man then intervened and took the accused back after the assault.

The Prosecutor asked her if she had spoken to stop the assault.

“We both shouted out to stop,” she replied.

The witness added the accused had used his strength to hit because he was angry.

In addition, after the assault she saw Lau‘i had tried to stand up but fell and crawled and was gripping his head.

The court heard Lau‘i’s eyes were closed when Tonga Police arrived and carried him into the Police vehicle to be rushed to the hospital.

She and her best friend then returned to the nightclub to confirm the identity of the bouncer and saw the accused was already wearing a jacket and a cap and was standing at the entrance of the nightclub.

The witness at times during her evidence when describing the alleged assault cried and said this was the first time that she had seen someone in such pain, referring to Lau‘i.

The witness was then cross-examined by defense counsel Sifa Tu‘utafaiva before completing her evidence on January 23.

Other witnesses on Wednesday, included Lau‘i’s sister who revealed her brother was a dentist; the doctor who examined Lau’‘; and a security guard at the wharf.

The murder trial continues for the rest of the week with the Crown expecting to call a total of nine witnesses.