Pacific

Killer jailed for 28 years in French Polynesia for German tourist murder

07:24 am on 19 May 2014

A court in French Polynesia has sentenced the killer of a German tourist to 28 years in prison.

Arihano Haiti had admitted that he shot the tourist, Stefan Ramin, in the head and burnt his body on Nuku Hiva three years ago.

Haiti, who will have to serve at least 18 years before being eligible for parole, was also found guilty of sexually assaulting the German man's partner.

Photo: RNZ

She had been tied to a tree but managed to escaped to raise the alarm.

Haiti remained on the run for more than 50 days and after his surrender to the police, he claimed that he killed Mr Ramin because he had been raped by him.

When the killing was first reported, several foreign media outlets said the German man was the victim of suspected cannibalism.