By Linny Folau

A 42-year-old man has been found guilty of housebreaking and theft after a late-night home invasion in Sopu where the victim was threatened with a knife and robbed of more than $6,000 paʻanga in cash and valuables.

Tali Me’alahi Tu'i'ile’ila was convicted by Justice Tupou in a judgment delivered on 11 March following a trial at the Supreme Court in Nuku’alofa in October 2025.

The court heard the offending occurred on 15 December 2023 at the home of Robina Nakao, who was asleep in her living room when she was woken around 1:00am by noises coming from her upstairs bedroom.

When she called out, there was no response. Moments later, she saw a man descending the stairs who told her, “it’s me I’m the one who’s up here”.

The intruder moved into the kitchen area, armed himself with a knife and waved it at her, directing her to move towards him and sit on the couch. Ms Nakao yelled out to her son, “Musashi, wake up, there is a man in the house!”

Her son opened his door before the intruder turned towards him with the knife, prompting her to yell for him to lock himself inside.

From his room, he called out, “please don’t hurt my mum!"

The court heard the intruder repeatedly threatened to kill Ms Nakao that night while continuing to control her movements. She said the kitchen was brightly lit with about six fluorescent lights, allowing her to clearly see his face.

She described him as short and stocky, wearing a cream-coloured hoodie and dark shorts, with short afro-style hair, speaking only in English and acting aggressively. She believed he was under the influence of drugs.

In an attempt to scare him off, Ms Nakao shouted to her domestic helper to “wake up the boys and tell them to come in here, there is a man in the house,” despite there being no other men present. The intruder then moved towards the door, pausing briefly to pick up a pair of slip-on shoes before leaving calmly.

After he left, Ms Nakao discovered her bedroom had been ransacked. Missing were $4,511 in cash, a Samsung phone valued at $1,000, leather slip-ons worth $300 and a Garmin watch worth $200 — totalling $6,011. A bottle of Corona and a pair of slippers marked with white paint specks were left behind.

Intruder left paint-specked slippers

Police were called and Ms Nakao later made a public appeal for information. This led to a tip from Moana Hafoka, who suggested the intruder could be someone known to his grandson. The detail about paint-specked slippers was also passed to police.

The prosecution called five witnesses, including Ms Nakao, her son Musashi, investigating officer Sione Tupou Vaea, and ‘Aisake Ananaiasa and his wife Fakalelu.

Musashi Nakao, who was 21 at the time, confirmed hearing his mother’s calls and described the intruder as short and stocky, though he could not recall his face or clothing.

Investigating officer Sione Vea told the court that identification was made easier due to the lighting and the short distance involved.

Defendant had paint to sell

‘Aisake Ananaiasa testified that the defendant had been with him earlier that evening in Sopu, arriving first between 8–9pm with paint to sell, then returning around 11:00pm intoxicated with alcohol and “ice”. He said the defendant spoke only in English when high, became aggressive and would steal to fund his drug use.

He told the court the defendant left around midnight. The next morning, he returned with his afro haircut gone, saying he had cut his hair.

The defendant denied the charges, claiming mistaken identity and raising an alibi that he was with his girlfriend, Ma’ata Ngaue, from 14 to 16 December 2023.

He also challenged the credibility of prosecution witnesses, arguing inconsistencies in their evidence and claiming it had been fabricated.

Justice Tupou rejected the alibi and found the prosecution witnesses credible.

“From when he was coming down the stairs, standing face to face with her in the kitchen where six fluorescent lights were on, while he was summoning her to the couch with the knife, while she shouted out to Musashi and then to Eceli and then as he walked slowly out the door as well as outside as he was leaving, I am left with no doubt that she had a clear view of him in very good light without impediments since he descended the stairs,” she said.

The judge noted Ms Nakao’s description of the intruder — including his uncovered hair, English-only speech and aggressive demeanour — was strongly corroborated by other witnesses.

“She also identified the defendant in court as the intruder she saw on the morning in question without hesitating and recognised that his hair is short now. Failure to cross-examine a witness implies acceptance of their evidence as truthful and the court may treat such testimony as undisputed. Accordingly, I accept Ms Nakao, Musashi and Vasa’s evidence as such."

The court preferred the evidence of ‘Aisake and Fakalelu over that of the defendant and his witness, and rejected the defence case.

As for the alibi, the judge found the defendant was with ‘Aisake on the night of 15 December before leaving around midnight, and that he then carried out the break-in around 1:00am.

“In conclusion, I am satisfied beyond any reasonable doubt, that the prosecution has made out all the necessary elements of both counts and the defendant is convicted accordingly,” concluded the judge,