Man acquitted in woman’s murder sentenced for kidnapping
By Nelson Daranciang
Oct. 10, 2012
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JAMM AQUINO / jaquino@staradvertiser.com
Esther De Francia, left, sister of Royal Kaukani, read from a prepared statement as attorney Craig Nagamine stood to object during Toi Nofoa's sentencing Tuesday in the Circuit Court. Nofoa, far right, will serve a 20-year prison term for kidnapping Kaukani, who was killed in 2009. Nofoa was acquitted of murder in her death.
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The family of a woman killed in Ewa in 2009 received a measure of satisfaction Tuesday when her ex-boyfriend, Toi Nofoa, was sentenced to a mandatory 20-year prison term for kidnapping her in a separate incident.
"It took a damn long time, but at least we finally got something," said Esther De Francia, sister of the victim, Royal Kaukani.
A state jury found Nofoa, 34, guilty in July of abducting Kaukani from her workplace after a previous jury found him not guilty of killing her.
The kidnapping happened Sept. 11, 2008.
Kaukani was shot to death March 27, 2009.
De Francia spoke during Nofoa’s sentencing hearing Tuesday. Over the protests of Nofoa’s lawyer, she accused Nofoa of killing her sister and called him "a conniving, selfish, no-good coward" who is "a menace to society and a waste of space."
"Mr. Nofoa was acquitted of murder in trial. He is not guilty of killing Royal Kaukani," said Craig Nagamine, Nofoa’s lawyer.
Circuit Judge Randal K.O. Lee said he was sentencing Nofoa for the kidnapping, not murder.
Nofoa said he is sorry for what happened and wished the family the best.
De Francia called Nofoa’s apology "pitiful."
"He couldn’t even look at us. What kind of apology is that?" she said.
She said Nofoa laughed when he threatened, on numerous occasions over the telephone, to kill her sister by shooting her in the head in broad daylight.
Kaukani, 24, was shot in the face and back of the neck in the middle of the day as she sat behind the wheel of her sport utility vehicle in front of De Francia’s home.
De Francia said Nofoa repeatedly called and threatened her sister after the 2008 kidnapping and that she and Kaukani turned to Nofoa’s family for help, even calling Nofoa’s mother in Samoa.
Police said Kaukani filed numerous reports accusing of Nofoa violating a protective order she had against him, and of threatening and assaulting her. An officer heard Nofoa threaten to kill Kaukani in a telephone call to her, police said.
Kaukani was killed before authorities could locate and charge Nofoa.
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JAMM AQUINO / jaquino@staradvertiser.com