25 May 2011

Four men in Niue to stand trial over election night trouble

3:08 pm on 25 May 2011

Four men on Niue, charged over violent incidents following the election nearly three weeks ago, are to go to trial in November.

One of the four is charged with assault, another faces a charge of causing bodily harm, a third with uttering threats and the fourth with inciting parties to commit an offence.

They have been charged after a disturbance at Hikutavake village, just hours after the election was completed.

A house in the village belonging to the son of the re-elected MP, Opili Talafasi, was destroyed by fire on the same night.

Police believe it was arson and are waiting for laboratory analysis to determine whether an accelerant was used.

The four appeared before a visiting New Zealand judge, Wilson Isaac, this morning and have been committed to stand trial in November.