The two teenagers accused of murdering a Chinese couple in a bush allotment at Matafonua have pleaded not guilty to all charges against them.
Sitiveni ‘Esi Muli, 17, and Sami Kaho Jr, 15, appeared on Tuesday in the Supreme Court at Nuku’alofa over the death of Mr Feng Sheng Pei and Mrs Su Jie Wen on February 25.
Kaho and Muli were accused of assaulting the couple on the heads with a machete and stabbing their bodies with a pair of scissors.
The teen accused were also charged with alternative counts that included manslaughter and other additional counts of armed robbery and serious arson.
They have been remanded in custody until a court appearance on August 29 to set a trial date.
The Chinese couple used to sell vegetables at the Talamahu vegetable market as well as at road-side stalls in Fanga ’O Pilolevu.
They were widely known to people who bought vegetables from them, for their friendliness.
