Sedition trials postponed to August 2008 [1]
Friday, November 2, 2007 - 18:54. Updated on Sunday, June 15, 2014 - 18:45.
The trial of five People's Representatives who are charged with sedition been postponed for another nine months to August 2008.
The five PRs who were scheduled to appear in the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court on Monday next week, now await a decision by the Court of Appeal on new submissions they have filed.
The accused are challenging a decision made by Chief Justice Anthony Ford in October to allow the Crown to file two additional charges of abetment to a riotous assembly and abetment to the damage of buildings against each of the five accused.
Some charges withdrawn
< Earlier, in September the Crown withdrew six of the initial seven charges that it leveled at the five accused, 'Akilisi Pohiva, 'Isileli Pulu, William Clive Edwards, 'Uliti Uata and Lepolo Taunisila. The five PRs were then charged only with sedition, allegedly committed between November 13 to 16, 2006
They have all pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The jury trial of the four accused was set to begin on November 12, while Edwards's trial was to be arraigned for a separate date by a different judge.
New charges filed
But when the Crown last month filed two new charges against the five representatives they objected and filed submissions against it.
The Nuku'alofa Supreme Court office confirmed today that because the Court of Appeal would not sit until July next year the trial of the five representatives was postponed to August 2008.
This is to allow the Court of Appeal to sit and make a ruling in regards to their appeal whether it would uphold or reject the Chief Justice's ruling.
If the Court of Appeal upholds the Chief Justice's ruling the accused will face three charges, including sedition, abetment to a riotous assembly and abetment to the damage of buildings.