A young man who was beaten to death inside an Auckland bar without provocation was a naturally talented musician with an infectious smile and a knack for bringing his people together, his family told the man’s killer today as they stood before him in the High Court at Auckland.

“We may have failed our son because we taught our children to love all people,” Reverend Dr Matagi Vilitama said during his victim impact statement at the murder sentencing of Christopher Tean Salt. “Perhaps if we had taught him to be cautious and suspicious of strangers, he would still be alive today.”

A CCTV camera inside the game room at Richardson’s Bar and Restaurant in Mt Roskill was recording on the night of August 31, 2023 as Salt, 36, violently turned on new acquaintance Tofimua Matagi – blindsiding the gregarious darts opponent with a surprise punch that knocked him to the ground before a “soccer”-like kick to the face and four head stomps with full force.

Salt’s lawyers had argued during his November trial that he was either not guilty due to self-defence or, if he was to be found guilty, responsible for manslaughter instead of murder. The jurors disagreed and today, so did Justice Michael Robinson.

“I do not consider you attacked in self-defence,” he said bluntly, adding that body language of the two men in the security footage clearly showed Salt to be the aggressor. “Your attack on Mr Matagi was entirely unreasonable.”

But he agreed with the defence that it hadn’t been proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the attack was prompted by a desire to rob the 25-year-old – a finding which would have triggered a minimum non-parole period of 17 years.

Christopher Tean Salt appears in the High Court at Auckland for sentencing after a jury found him guilty of the August 2023 murder of Tofi Matagi in a Mt Roskill bar. Photo / Jason Dorday

Justice Robinson instead ordered a life sentence with a minimum term of imprisonment of 12 years before Salt can begin to apply for parole.

Murder, manslaughter or self-defence?

Salt opted to address jurors directly during his trial, claiming that he had hoped to deliver a single knockout blow to Matagi, whom he had just met that evening. Salt was a regular at the bar but Matagi, who had recently moved to New Zealand from Nuie, was visiting the establishment for the first time after being invited out by co-workers.

The defendant said he mistakenly thought the victim was a 501 deportee from Australia who had a gun and was planning to either use it on him or to rob the bar.

A CCTV still from Richardson’s Bar and Restaurant in Mt Roskill, Auckland, shows Christopher Salt (left) and Tofimua Matagi playing darts together shortly before Salt fatally assaulted him. The footage was played for jurors at Salt's murder trial in the High Court at Auckland.

Prosecutors characterised Salt’s testimony as ridiculous. They argued the obvious motive was seen on the CCTV footage, which showed Salt rifling through Matagi’s pockets and taking his wallet as the victim lay unconscious.

In footage repeatedly played for jurors, Matagi was seen smiling and laughing for most of the game until Salt suddenly turned aggressive and got in his face. Matagi raised his hand slightly in what appeared to be an effort to defuse the situation before returning his concentration to the dart board.

He fell to the ground instantly after the defendant punched him from behind. Although Salt denied he threw a coward punch, the footage was clear that the victim wouldn’t have been able to see the blow coming.

A CCTV still from Richardson’s Bar and Restaurant in Mt Roskill, Auckland, shows Christopher Salt taking a swing at Tofimua Matagi while the victim wasn't looking.

Instead of searching for a non-existent gun, prosecutors noted, Salt seemed content to gather the victim’s phone, passport and wallet.

During sentencing today, Justice Robinson didn’t disagree that a robbery had occurred. But he said the evidence was “consistent with an opportunistic robbery” that was hatched after the attack rather than a premeditated robbery that was part-and-parcel with the attack.

Pain, forgiveness

During emotional victim impact statements, Matagi’s parents and two of his five siblings frequently paused to regain their composure as they reflected on the “cruel act which caused his death” and the enormous potential that was snuffed out.

“As a mother, I feel broken and devastated,” Joanne Matagi said, describing the defendant as a “despicable person” who must have lost his self-worth to have committed such a cruel and cowardly act.

But she expressed a hope – echoed by other members of her family – that Salt will improve himself in prison to “learn the basic values of life, culture and family”.

Tofimua Matagi, 25, died after an incident at a bar and restaurant in Mt Roskill, Auckland, on August 31, 2023.

Tofi Matagi had been named after the village in Niue where his parents were ministering when he was born.

He grew up in Niue and, for the last few months of his life, Australia.

His sister recalled him as a loving, kind and carefree people-person who put people at ease with his bubbly personality, beautiful smile and infectious laugh. He wasn’t just a social butterfly but a social bumblebee, his father added, explaining that his son would pollinate relationships by bringing together people in his orbit.

He was also a talented musician who especially loved guitar but could learn any instrument within minutes. His father recalled a time in Sydney when they were travelling to an Anzac service and the trumpeter who was to play The Last Post fell ill. His son had never played the instrument before but after tinkering with it in the car, was able to fill in by the time they arrived.

Reverend Dr Matagi Vilitama and Joanna Matagi hold a photo of their 25-year-old son Tofi Matagi. Photo / Michael Craig

“I’m not sure you will ever understand what it’s like to lose a child in such a cruel and horrific way,” Matagi Vilitama said as he turned to the defendant. “But I know you’ve got a heart ... Please know that we are praying for you, we are praying for your children, for your parents.

“We pray that you repent for your violent way of life. We pray that the circle of violence stops with you.

“We forgive you.”

‘Degree of callousness’

Salt’s lawyers agreed their client’s life had been marred by a circle of violence that started during his own childhood.

“There is some light in this case,” defence lawyer Emma Priest said. “Mr Salt is committed to rehabilitation.”

She asked the judge for a minimum non-parole period of 10 years instead of the 17-year term sought by the Crown.

Christopher Tean Salt appears in the High Court at Auckland for sentencing after a jury found him guilty of the August 2023 murder of Tofi Matagi in a Mt Roskill bar. Photo / Jason Dorday

“Mr Salt tried to wake Mr Matagi after the assault,” she said. “He checked in on Mr Matagi [on] a number of occasions.”

As she had at trial, she argued that it wasn’t just her client who thought the victim was okay. He was left unattended on the floor of the bar for well over an hour before an ambulance was called.

She noted that her client stayed at a series of boys' homes during his childhood and became entrenched in gang life and drugs from a young age. He is believed to suffer post-traumatic stress disorder from earlier issues in his life and a psychological report suggested meth-induced paranoia may have played a part in his offending.

Prosecutor Matthew Nathan asked for a minimum non-parole period of 15 years if the judge wasn’t going to impose the 17-year term mandatory for robbery murders.

Police tape cordons off Richardson's Restaurant in Mt Roskill following the murder of 25-year-old patron Tofi Matagi.

“There is a degree of callousness in the treatment of Mr Matagi and his property after the assault,” Nathan said, suggesting that the defendant continues to show a lack of remorse by attributing “some sort of provocative behaviour to the victim”, even though the explanation is inconsistent with the CCTV footage.

He noted that a pre-sentence report assessed the defendant as being at a high risk of future violent offending and a very high risk of general offending.

“Through no conduct that he did, he was violently and fatally attacked,” he said of the victim, noting that the attack occurred after Matagi bought a round of drinks and pulled out his wallet to pay for the pair’s darts game. “The need for general deterrence ... is clear.”

Justice Robinson noted that the entire attack lasted about 12 seconds but he agreed there was a degree of callousness as the victim was left on the ground for more than an hour. He settled on a non-parole period starting point of 12-and-a-half years but allowed a six-month discount for the defendant’s difficult childhood.

He noted that Salt first appeared before the court in 2004, when he was 15, and has racked up 44 district court convictions since then for matters ranging from traffic violations to family violence. But he agreed with the defence that there was now a glimmer of hope, based on the courses Salt has taken while in jail awaiting trial.

“I encourage you to take all the opportunities that are available to you in prison,” he said.

Craig Kapitan is an Auckland-based journalist covering courts and justice. He joined the Herald in 2021 and has reported on courts since 2002 in three newsrooms in the US and New Zealand.