Mapele Talatala (20) of Ngele'ia was ordered by Police Magistrate Salesi Mafi to appear for trial at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court on May 2.

The Police Magistrate made his decision after a day of a Preliminary Inquiry hearing on March 28.

Talatala was charged with five counts of abetment to damage various properties, one for the theft of one box of VB beer and a box of milk and three charges for damaging the properties of Molisi Tonga Supermarket, the Rainbow Chinese shop located at the Hala Lelue opposite the former Narottams Store and another Chinese retail shop owned by Mr Zing in Nuku'alofa, where he smashed their windows.

Police Prosecutor Peni Folaumoetu'i called three witnesses. The first witness Sokopeti Lavelua, a supervisor at the Molisi Tonga Supermarket, confirmed that the supermarket was looted and damaged on November 16, 2006, by rioters.

The second witness, Chief Inspector Tupou 'Otutaha was not required to appear in court to today, because his testimony was similar that of a previous inquiry, so the court allowed that his testimony be submitted. Tupou had previously told the court that on November 16, 2006, he was one of the police officers assigned to guard the Parliament Office opposite the meeting held at Pangai Si'I, and he confirmed that the meeting held at the park that day resulted in the trashing and damaging of key buildings such as the Prime Minister's office, Treasury, Parliament Office, Shoreline, Molisi Tonga Supermarket and others.

The prosecution's final witness of the day, Police Inspector Soane Naufahu, read out the accused's record of interview conducted by the police. Talatala had stated that on November 16, 2006 at about 10am he walked from his village Ngele'ia to attend a meeting aimed at calling for political reform at Pangai Si'i, and he stayed there listening to speeches made by various speakers.

"In the afternoon I followed other people and began trashing and smashing Molisi Tonga Supermarket, the Rainbow Chinese shop, another Chinese shop owned by Mr Zing and the Ramanlal Hotel in central Nuku'alofa, and I stole the carton of beer to drink as well as the box of milk from Mr Zing's shop and I did this because it was for the sake of reform, but I went home afterwards," the statement said.

The Police inspector told the court that the accused had confessed to the crimes.