The relative accused over the death of a young accountant, killed during an inferno at Nu’u last month, appeared before the Supreme Court yesterday.
Elisaia Toetu, a 21-year-old relative of the late Taulapapa Taupule Sione, who died during the suspicious fire, made his first public appearance yesterday, on his way to and from Court.
He was heavily guarded by Police officers.
He also threw a towel to cover his face outside the Court where the media waited for him.
Sione was burnt to death when a house she shared with the relative was burnt to the ground on a Sunday morning.
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Yesterday, the defendant appeared before the Chief Justice, His Honour Patu Tiava’asue Falefatu Sapolu. Tole’afoa Vaega Lei Sam appeared on behalf of defence counsel, Papali’i Lio Masipau. When the proceedings got underway, Mr. Lei Sam made an application for the Court to adjourn the matter.
His Honour Chief Justice Patu granted the application before adjourning it until 1 December 2014. The specific charges against the defendant were not revealed in Court yesterday.
His Honour Patu, however, ruled to keep the defendant under the Police custody.
Ms. Sione’s death shocked the nation last month when it emerged that a relative had been charged in relation to the incident.
Ms. Sione, who was planning to get married on 27 December, was working for local accounting firm, Lesa ma Penn.
She had recently graduated from Auckland New Zealand, with her family saying she was a bright young girl with big plans for the future.
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