Pair Who Were Pardoned For Murder In Tuvalu Glad To Back Home
Mr Kamikamica and Mr Dolesau landed at the Nausori International Airport yesterday with smiles and tears of joy as they would be spending Christmas with their families, after nine years.
Wednesday 25 December 2019 | 13:10
Tuvalu Minister of Justice Simon Kofe (middle) with Epeli Yasava Kamikamica (left) and Samuela Dolesau at Funafuti International Airport on December 24, 2019.
Epeli Yasava Kamikamica, 34, and Samuela Dolesau, 30, had given up hope of ever seeing their families again.
The two fishermen were convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment in Tuvalu.
Earlier this month, they were granted a pardon by Tuvalu’s Acting Governor-General.
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Mr Kamikamica and Mr Dolesau landed at the Nausori International Airport yesterday with smiles and tears of joy as they would be spending Christmas with their families, after nine years.
The duo are grateful to the Tuvalu and Fijian Government for facilitating their return home.
Mr Kamikamica said he was especially grateful to the Tuvalu Minister of Justice Simon Kofe. He was instrumental in paving the legal process to have the two pardoned.
Mr Kofe was at the Funafuti International Airport yesterday to farewell the duo. Mr Dolesau thanked both their families for their prayers while they were incarcerated.
“I never lost hope and kept the faith,” Mr Dolesau said.
Mr Kamikamica’s mother Unaisi was at the Nausori International Airport grateful to finally see her son again.
She said it was a miracle to see her Epeli after so long.
Edited by Jonathan Bryce
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