Peni Apikotoa death: Nathan Chatimba murder sentence hearing

In powerful scenes inside a packed courtroom the heartbroken family of Peni Apikotoa, brutally murdered at the hands of his “mate”, tearfully shared their pain.

In powerful scenes inside a packed courtroom the heartbroken family of Peni Apikotoa, brutally murdered in western Sydney at the hands of his “mate”, tearfully shared the pain and horror of the loss of their much-loved brother and son.

The 34-year-old scaffolder’s face is on display at his local watering hole where he was known as a community protector, with the Supreme Court hearing a collection of stories of his selfless nature on Thursday.

“Peni was an asset to my family, to his friends and to the community,” his sister, and Royal Australian Navy commander, Rosemarie Apikotoa said. “He is more of a hero than I could ever be.”

Peni Apikotoa. Picture: 7NEWS

In the early evening of August 11 2018, Mr Apikotoa arrived at his friend Cassandra Sanders’ St Clair home concerned for her welfare after she had called him about a visit from her ex-partner.

Nathan Chatimba, found guilty of murder by a Supreme Court jury earlier this year, had become jealous and angry following the call for help from his former partner Ms Sanders, the crown prosecutor told the court.

Almost immediately after Mr Apikotoa’s arrival an altercation took place and he was stabbed with a kitchen knife and began bleeding profusely. The Tongan man tried to flee and ran 50m as Chatimba gave chase and tried to stab him in the back.

Nathan Chatimba. Picture: Facebook.

The court heard the fatally injured Mr Apikotoa ultimately fell over some bins where he died before the ambulance arrived.

When police later told Chatimba Mr Apikotoa had died he said “I killed my mate, I killed my mate”, the killer’s lawyer told the court.

In a sentence hearing the court heard how the man’s father Tapu Apikotoa, who had been diagnosed with cancer, died of a broken heart three months after the murder.

“The violent nature of my brother’s death was the final nail in my father’s coffin,” she said. “The death certificate says cancer but we know it was from a broken heart.”

A victim impact statement penned by Mr Apikotoa’s father before his own death stated: “Having discovered I had a terminal illness, one of the comforts was I had my son to carry me to my grave.”

The sentence for Chatimba will be handed down at a later date by Justice Robertson Wright.