Foreign fishermen acquitted of Tongan charges [1]
Thursday, December 11, 2003 - 15:05. Updated on Sunday, May 11, 2014 - 10:58.
A Korean ship owner Daug Blk Kim and his Tongan captain, Vailele Taukitoku were acquitted by Chief Justice Gordon Ward at the Nuku'alofa Supreme court on December 9 for fishing in the Tonga waters without a Foreign Fishing Vessel Licence.
Chief Justice Ward acquitted the two accused because he said that the prosecution has failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the fishing vessel was a foreign fishing vessel, and that it was used for fishing in the Tongan waters.
The fishing boat Sandra I Avala 'o e Tau, owned by Daug Blk Kim, a Tongan resident, was found fishing at the Minerva Reefs on May 14 by the Tonga Navy patrol boat, Voea Savea under the command of Lt. Lokotui.
It was reported that the patrol party discovered a considerable quantity of beche demer on board. While the patrol party was on board the Sandra I, a small boat arrived with hundreds of live beche de mer, which the fisheries officer who was a part of the patrol party directed to be put back in the sea. The Sandra I was then escorted back to Nuku'alofa.