Supreme court finds man not guilty on four charges of carnal knowledge

Tuku ange ‘e he ‘Eiki Fakamaau Lahi’ ‘a Sione Tautua’ā Afu mei he hia ko e mohe mo e ta'ahine ta'u si'i. Ne makatu’unga e tuku ange' he pehē ‘e he fakamāu’ na’e faitotonu pe 'a Afu he‘ene pehē ne kohu ia ko e ki’i ta’ahine’ na’e ta’u 18. Ka ko hono mo’oni ne kei ta’u 13 pe ia māhina ‘e 11 he taimi ko ia’. Ko e hia ‘eni ne pehē ne fakahoko ‘i ‘Aokosi ‘aho 7-8 ‘o e 2017. Mahino foki na’e hola ‘a e ki’i ta’ahine ko ‘eni mei honau ‘api’ fakataha mo hano tokoua. Ne nau iku fetaulaki mo ha ta'ahine 'e taha ko hona maheni 'i kolo 'o nau ō ai pe, ‘o nau fetaulaki mo Afu pea nau iku ai ki ha loto vao ‘i Veitongo. Nau nofo ai pea ‘oku pehē ne iku mohe tu’o fā ai ‘a Afu mo e ki’i ta’ahine’. Na’e fakahā ‘e he ta’ahine’ ki he fakamaau’anga’ ko ia pe ia ne ne holi kia Afu ke na mohe’. Ne iku lāunga ‘ena fa’ee’ ki he kau polisi ‘o nau kumi ‘o ma’u atu ‘a e ongo tautehina’ ni pea pehē kia Afu mo ha tangata 'e taha ‘oku nau nofo mai he loto vao’.

The Supreme Court has freed a man charged with four counts of carnal knowledge of a girl under 15.

Lord Chief Justice Paulsen found Sione Tautu’a’a afu not guilty on the grounds that he honestly believed the girl to be 18.

The offences were alleged to have occurred on August 7-8, 2017.

The court was told that the girl, referred to in the proceedings as K, and her sister, had run away from home and met the accused in the bush.

They stayed with him and another man and during this period K and Tautu’a’a afu had sex four times.

K said she initiated the sexual contact.

Tautu’a’a afu, who represented himself in court, put it to K that she had told him she was 18.

Evidence was given that at the time she was 13 years and 11 months old.

At the time Tautu’a’a afu was 17.

In an interview with police he said the girls had lived with him for about a month and that they had not told him they had run away.

Lord Chief Justice Paulsen said he was satisfied that Tautu’a’a afu honestly  believed  on  reasonable grounds that K was over the age of 14.

“She could certainly be mistaken for someone older than her years,” the judge said.

He said Tautu’a’a afu had asked K three times how old she was.

The judge found Tautu’a’a afu not guilty on all four counts.

About The Author

Sometimes when a business is growing, it needs a little help.

Right now Kaniva News provides a free, politically independent, bilingual news service for readers around the world that is absolutely unique. We are the largest New Zealand-based Tongan news service, and our stories reach Tongans  wherever they are round the world. But as we grow, there are increased demands on Kaniva News for translation into Tongan on our social media accounts and for the costs associated with expansion. We believe it is important for Tongans to have their own voice and for Tongans to preserve their language, customs and heritage. That is something to which we are strongly committed. That’s why we are asking you to consider sponsoring our work and helping to preserve a uniquely Tongan point of view for our readers and listeners.

spot_imgspot_imgspot_imgspot_img

Latest news

Related news