Imprisoned police inspector appeals sentence [1]
Monday, October 20, 2014 - 18:11
A second session of the Court of Appeal began today and will hear 16 appeals, with a former police inspector appealing his conviction and 11-year imprisonment sentence in Kali Fungavaka's death.
The court will hear nine criminal appeals, six civil cases and one land case.
Former Tonga Police Inspector Kelepi Hala’ufia, who was convicted of manslaughter in the death of New Zealand police officer Kali Fungavaka in 2012 is appealing against his conviction and 11-year imprisonment imposed on him by a Supreme Court judge earlier this year.
At the same time, Antone Thomas Pedras, an American fugitive who is wanted in California on fraud charges, is appealing against his removal order in a civil case.
The judgement will be delivered on Friday, October 31 at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court.
Appointments
Mr Justice Hansen, a former New Zealand High Court judge, was the President of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association and President of the Legal Research Foundation in New Zealand.
The court also heard the new appointments of ‘Aminiasi Kefu as the Director of Public Prosecutions and Acting Attorney-General, while Sione Sisifa is Acting Solicitor-General.
The first Court of Appeal session was held in March earlier this year.