Levi Nuku, Sau Fuiava, Kalyb Onofia guilty of attempted arson

Three Moreton Bay teenagers conducted a terrifying raid on an associate in retaliation for what they alleged was a similar attack.

A trio of Moreton Bay teens attempted to burn down a house full of sleeping residents with molotov cocktails in a “revenge” attack on an occupant believed by one of the offenders to have conducted a similar raid on his parents.

Scarborough man Levi Kii-te Aronui Nuku, 19, now of Palm Beach on the Gold Coast, North Lakes man Sau Fuiava, 19, now living in Darwin, and Scarborough man Kalyb Paul Iaseko Onofia, 20, pleaded guilty in Brisbane District Court to two counts of wilful damage and one of attempted arson.

The court heard the raid occurred in the early hours of August 9 last year at an address in Mango Hill.

The trio targeted the residence as Fuiava believed one of the occupants had recently set fire to his parents’ car and home, the court heard.

“They went in the early hours looking for revenge,” Crown prosecutor James Ford told the court.

Sau Fuiava leaves the District Court in Brisbane where he pleaded guilty to attempted arson and two other offences. Picture: Dan Peled

Nuku, Fuiava, Onofia and another yet to be identified arrived at the property armed with ingredients to make molotov cocktails.

Similar bottles to the ones used in the firebombing were later found at Fuiava’s residence, the court heard.

While Nuku the driver stayed with the getaway car, Onofia attempted to rouse the sleeping residents and punched a window, smashing it and badly injuring his hand.

He returned to the vehicle bleeding, while Fuiava and/or the other unidentified man kicked in a side window.

They then launched two lit molotov cocktails at the residence, one at the front door and one down the side which ultimately landed in a neighbour’s yard.

While leaving scorch marks on the home’s garage and front door, luckily the firebombs did not take.

“This was an attempted arson at night with sleeping occupants inside,” Mr Ford said.

“Had the fire taken, there was a real risk to human life.”

Mr Ford told the court Fuiava alleged Onofia threw the molotovs, but this did not accord with the agreed statement of facts and was not accepted by the Crown.

All three defendants had no previous criminal history.

Levi Kii-te Aronui Nuku leaves the District Court in Brisbane where he pleaded guilty to attempted arson and two other offences. Picture: Dan Peled

Defence counsel Chris Minnery told the court his client Onofia had suffered “extra-curial punishment” by way of his hand injury from punching the window, which required surgery and follow-up appointments.

He said Sydney-born Onofia had rehabilitated himself from his offending and was engaged in full-time work.

Defence counsel Jessica Horne said her client Fuiava had since moved to Darwin for work but returned home to live with his parents locally to deal with his matter.

She said Samoa-born Fuiava moved to Queensland from New Zealand at age 13 and was not an Australian citizen.

Kalyb Paul Iaseko Onofia pleaded guilty to attempted arson and two other offences. Picture: Dan Peled

She said he attended North Lakes State College and was intoxicated at the time of the offence.

He had since stopped drinking, she told the court.

Defence counsel James Feely said his client Nuku was a vice-captain at Redcliffe State High School and, like Fuiava, was not an Australian citizen, having moved to Australia age four.

He said Nuku, who grew up in Strathpine, had since moved to Palm Beach on the Gold Coast where he worked as a manager at Broadbeach’s Casablanca Nightclub and also worked in a clothing retailer warehouse.

Judge Orazio Rinaudo placed Fuiava and Onofia on two years’ probation and Nuku on one years’ probation.

No convictions were recorded.