A witness told the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court yesterday June 18, that he saw the accused PR, 'Isileli Pulu, talking on his mobile cell phone while people were stoning and damaging the Pacific Royale Hotel in central Nuku'alofa on November 16, 2006.

Pulu, the Tongatapu no. 2 People's Representative, is on trial for eight charges of abetment to murder and one charge of abetment to arson in which he is alleged to have indirectly incited the two co-accused, Sosefo 'Amone and Siosiua 'Ulutaufonua, to commit the crimes of murder and arson during the riots of November 16 in Nuku'alofa.

Tevita Siale, the fifth witness of the Crown said that on November 16, 2006, he was at his office at the Tonga Cooperative Federation building, opposite the hotel on Taufa'ahau Road.

The witness, who is the Chief Accountant for the TCF, recalled that around 5pm he heard noise and shouting coming from the road. He came downstairs to the side of the road and watched people stoning and damaging the hotel and he even heard someone shouting to burn down Shoreline.

At this time he saw the accused, Pulu, standing in the middle of the road among the people, talking on his mobile phone while the building was being smashed.

The witness estimated that the stoning took place for about 30 to 40 minutes before the crowd left the area.

He also confirmed that he did not see the accused do anything other than talk on his phone.

Video footage

The Crown will be calling many more witnesses in the next few days, and the defence side is expected to call witnesses of their own to give evidence.

Also presented in evidence yesterday was a video footage of the burning of the Shoreline Group head office on November 16, 2006.

The jury trial began on Tuesday, June 17 with Pulu facing eight charges of abetment to murder and one charge of abetment to arson relating to the eight deaths in the Shoreline fire during the riots.

The jury of seven consists of five men and two women.