The gym of rising MMA star Fau Vake who was killed in an attack by four men earlier this year has lashed out at the justice system after one of the attackers was sentenced to six months home detention.
In a statement City Kickboxing said ‘How can you call this justice when a man who's actions directly contributed to the death of our brother Fau, gets six months holiday at home watching Netflix rather than a jail term.”
Vake was attacked alongside his brother Ika Vake by four men on Auckland’s Symonds street at around 3 AM on Sunday, May 23.
The brothers were waiting for a taxi. Fau died a week after the attack in intensive care.
Yesterday Ofa He Mooni Folau who admitted punching Vau 3 times in the head during the attack was sentenced to six months' home detention.
Three other men, one charged with manslaughter, have pleaded not guilty and will go on trial next year.
“This is a man who the court has found, as part of a group of four men, attacked Fau and Ika Vake in a sustained and brutal manner . Ofa Folau was proven to have chased both brothers and punched them on multiple occasions.” a City Kickboxing representative said.
Vake was a showpiece of Auckland's City Kickboxing Gym and the sparring partner of Kiwi MMA superstar Israel Adesanya.
The attack has reignited debate around ‘coward punch’ laws where a person is punched in the head without warning - are charged in court.
“What Government or Judiciary can possibly claim that this is an appropriate sentence or would have the audacity to state that the law is adequate. There is no deterrent in place to make these kind of people think twice about unprovoked mob attacks or coward punching.” CKB said in its statement.
City Kickboxing renewed their calls for a law change.
“We believe when you take part in an attack where a man is killed as a result there must be some joint culpability. It’s time to make a change - or do we have to wait for another person to be killed this weekend before we take action?”