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Chris McKeen / Stuff
Rima Fernando Sikei was fatally stabbed in December 2018.
The family of a promising rugby player who was stabbed to death says he will continue to fight for justice despite the fact that his killer has dropped the murder charges against him.
Rima Fernando Sikei died after being stabbed during a street fight on Auckland’s Mount Roskill in December 2018.
Joshua Sio Tongia was declared unfit to stand trial last year for the alleged murder of Sikei and the attempted murder of another man, Taufa Siu, due to a mental disability.
On Monday, Judge Rebecca Edwards agreed that Tongia was responsible for the stabbing, but dismissed her charges and said she acted in defense of her brother, Misi.
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Speaking after Judge Edwards’ decision, Semisi Sikei, Rima’s older brother, said Stuff the family was “shocked” by the result.
He said the family was upset that the man responsible for his brother’s death “got a card to get out of jail and is now a free man.”
Things-co-nz
Rima Fernando Sikei has a trophy named after him at the Eden Rugby Club.
He said that Rima’s death had affected the family and that his parents “would never be the same again.”
“Since Rima’s death, we as a family have been different. We all continue to hurt to this day and we will always suffer.
Semisi said his brother was a “people person,” who after returning home from work for the Te Whangai Trust, was heading to rugby training or volunteering at Wesley Community Center.
“He was a loving person. If you asked him for money and he had the last $ 20 left, he would give it to you no questions asked. And he didn’t ask for it back. “
“We will continue to fight until justice is served,” Semisi said.
Stuff
The Sikei family continues to suffer after Rima’s death.
Semisi said the Tongia family was lucky to have him at home, but that this was not a luxury his family had.
“Now you can talk, laugh, eat and spend time with him. We can never do that again and that’s up to Joshua. “
Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin said police acknowledged the result to dismiss Tongia’s charges.
However, after further discussion with the Auckland Crown Prosecutor, the police would present the case for consideration on appeal, Baldwin said.
JOHN WEEKES / Stuff
Joshua Tongia’s charges were dismissed in Superior Court on Monday.
The court heard that the fatal fight occurred on December 7, 2018, when Tongia, Sikei and Siu had been drinking with separate groups of friends.
Five people beat and kicked Tongia’s brother, Misi, in the head in what Edwards said was a “cruel” attack.
Tongia’s sister noticed that Sikei had been stabbed and urged the group to stop fighting. It was later discovered that Siu had also been stabbed and the police were called.
The next morning, Tongia showed the police the knife used in the stabbing in her room. She admitted that she had been fighting and said that she was trying to protect her brother.
Judge Edwards concluded that Tongia was responsible for stabbing both Sikei and Siu.
