Six male accused, including five Tongan police officers and one detainee, have each been charged with manslaughter at the Nuku'alofa Magistrate's Court this afternoon, and were expected to be released on bail later today, September 27. 

The Solicitor General 'Aminiasi Kefu submitted the new charges at the lower court before Magistrate Pita Soakimi. All six accused are similarly charged with manslaughter with an alternative charge of causing grevious bodily harm, in relation to the death of New Zealand Police Officer Kali Fungavaka who was fatally injured while in detention on August 17.

The accused were escorted to court by police officers and were each read out their new charges by Magistrate Soakimi.

The three police officers who were arrested today included the supervising officer identified as Inspector Kelepi Hala'ufia, with the two police constables named as Manu Tu'ivai and Tevita Vakalahi. 

The three people initially charged at the start of the homicide investigation are police constables Salesi Maile, and Fatai Faletau, and a detainee Semisi Kalisitiane Manu.

'Aminiasi Kefu told the court that this was a very serious case but he had no objection to their release on bail. "But we hope to have the trial as soon as possible due to the seriousness of what happened and there is great concern from all aspects of society for the case to be solved and we do not want to prolong the true justice of this trial," he said.

Solicitor General 'Aminiasi Kefu arrives at the Nuku'alofa Magistrate's Court. 27 September 2012.

Bail

Magistrate Soakimi ordered that all of the accused can be released on bail around 4:30pm today but under conditions, that each accused be bailed at $2,000 pa'anga each and provide two sureties of $500 each. They were also ordered to surrender their passports to the court and are prohibited from travelling overseas or outside of Tongatapu.

The accused were instructed  to find legal representation and to appear before the Magistrate at 9:00am on Monday October 1, so they could decide with the Solicitor General on a timetable for the case to be moved forward in the courts.

It is understood that Semisi Kalisitiane Manu is represented by counsel Sifa Tu'utafaiva, who was not able to attend court this afternoon as parliament was sitting. (Sifa is the chairman of Parliament's Whole House Committee.)