Lance Corporal, Tevita Vi of the Ha‘apai Police Force was sentenced today to three years in prison after he was found guilty of manslaughter by Chief Justice Robin Webster.

Chief Justice Webster suspended the last two years of Vi...’s sentence for two years, meaning Vi will serve only one year in prison.

Vi who appeared in the Ha...’apai court on March 14-15 was found guilty at the Nuku...’alofa Supreme Court on June 10 for the manslaughter death of Sime Soakai at Pangai, Ha...’apai.

The court found that on July 3, 2004 at Pangai, Vi slapped Soakai on the right side of his face while he was drunk causing him to fall and hit his head on the road. He died later on October 18, 2004, from complications of severe head injuries.

The legal counsel for the Crown was Sione Sisifa and Siosifa Tu...’utafaiva represented the accused.