Three men who assaulted a soldier in September last year were found guilty at the Supreme Court in Nuku'alofa, on December 16.

Hon Mr Justice Laki Niu in a ruling, found Walter Disney Fangatua, Lisiate Fonua and Siope Ma’u Niusini guilty.

The charges related to the same incident against the complainant Lehopoame Tu'utafaiva at Havelu.

Fangatua was convicted of serious causing bodily harm, when he struck the complainant with a hoe blade, injuring his head. While, Fonua and Niusini were convicted of assault, when they punched and kicked the complainant repeatedly.

The three were tried in a joint trial in October. A fourth accused had already pleaded guilty to one count of assault.

Assault

The complainant’s evidence said, he is in the Tongan army. He and some of his army friends were having a few drinks at a home of an army couple friend in Havelu.

Late at night, two boys came into their drinking, namely the accused Fonua and Niusini.

He said that as the two were leaving, they threw a piece of brick, which hit the bonnet of a vehicle parked at the front of the house.

The complainant and another soldier chased after them followed by some other five soldiers and three women from their party. The boys managed to escape into a home.

However, he said, as they were walking back, a motor vehicle came up and stopped and the boys got out of it and fought with them. This was when the assault occured.

The court heard from doctor’s evidence, that the complainant sustained a cut on the scalp of his head, which was 1cm deep and 2cm long. The injury was not likely to have involved any damage to the skull and was not life threatening

The judge having listened to the evidence during the trial convicted the three accused. They will be sentenced at a later date.