Murder victim

Falala Iongi, Viliami Mounga He Ofa Iongi, and Manu Hori Iongi are accused of murdering the Auckland grandmother on January 15, 2020.

1 News reports Falala and Viliami also face charges of wounding with intent to injure and reckless discharge of a firearm relating to a prior incident.

That involved the deceased’s son, Stephen Fisi’ihioi, and another man on December 4, 2019.

All accused denied the charges.

On Tuesday morning at the High Court at Auckland, Justice Grant Powell told the jury the trial had been aborted due to a “range of issues”.

Speaking at a vigil in Otara, Māteni Lynch said the news of his young brother’s (Hiko) death was too much to bear.

“It was so difficult for me when I am thinking about the reason of why we came here to New Zealand to work to help our family back in Tonga”, Mateni said tearfully according to a report by Kaniva News.

Māteni said they have seven siblings and Hiko was of a “special character”.

Hiko Junior Lynch, 23, was allegedly stabbed on Market St just after 3am on Sunday, 20 June.