Nakita Folau Tu'itavake (41) who was found guilty for the manslaughter of Semisi Ma'u was sentenced this morning, March 31, to 10 years imprisonment by Chief Justice Robin Webster, in the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court.

Tu'itavake was found guilty of manslaughter by a jury on February 24, 2005.

After today's sentencing there was an emotional scene outside the court house and Tu'itavake broke down into tears when he said goodbye to his family.

In passing the 10 years imprisonment sentence Chief Justice Webster told the court that he would suspend the last two years of the sentence, meaning that Tu'itavake will serve only eight years in prison.

Tu'itavake first appeared in Nuku'alofa Magistrate's Court on November 6 2003, charged with the murder of Semisi Ma'u whom he stabbed to death in the parking lot of the Billfish Bar, Nuku'alofa, on September 5, 2003. Tu'itavake pleaded not guilty and was released on $2000 bail with two sureties of $100 each.

The trial date was postponed twice, the last time on September 14, 2004 when the accused's counsel Laki Niu appealed for the jury trial to be postponed and for the court to order a ban on all radio stations from playing of a song called "Semisi Ma'u".

Chief Justice Webster accepted the appeal and adjourned the trial to February 14 of 2005. The trial by jury was concluded on February 24 when the jury found him not guilty of the first charge of murder but guilty of a lesser charge of manslaughter.

In Tonga murder still carries a penalty of death by hanging or life imprisonment.