Six men to face Supreme Court on 16/11 robbery charges [1]
Wednesday, March 7, 2007 - 17:49. Updated on Monday, July 20, 2015 - 11:58.
Six men facing charges relating to the robbing of the E. M. Jones Industries Store at Poutaha on November 16, will go forward for a hearing in the Supreme Court.
Their preliminary inquiry hearing ended yesterday in the Nuku'alofa Magistrate's Court where seven men were charged with housebreaking, theft and receiving stolen cash from the store.
Police Magistrate Salesi Mafi ruled that six of the seven men's cases will be submitted to be heard at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court.
Police Prosecutor Mema Latu said today, that the six youths to appear in the Supreme Court, charged with housebreaking and theft are Tekitoa Malafu, Toni Paseka, Saia Malafu, Samiu Paseka, Peni Sitanilei, and Pita Mahina. Peni is also charged with knowingly accepting $350 of stolen cash.
The seventh youth, Faiva Talakai, will reappear in the Magistrate's Court charged with knowingly accepting $100 pa'anga that was stolen from the E. M. Jones' safe.
The Police Magistrate also dropped the housebreaking charge against Pita Mahina due to lack of evidence, so he faces only one charge of theft at the Supreme Court.
The Police Prosecutor added that Mohi Halalupe the eighth accused who failed to appear in court yesterday was assumed to have run away to Vava'u and the court had issued a warrant to the Vava'u police for his arrest.
The court heard eight witnesses for the prosecution yesterday, and none from the defence side who was represented by Mana Kaufusi.
The preliminary hearings of the 16/11 cases will continue tomorrow March 8 with another housebreaking and theft hearing that was committed on a Chinese retail shop at Tofoa during the 16/11 riot.