Robbers in 'Eua flee with $10,000 cash [1]
Tuesday, March 5, 2013 - 21:11. Updated on Monday, September 9, 2013 - 18:40.
Two robbers who allegedly stole $10,000 cash in foreign currency after assaulting a woman shopkeeper at a Chinese shop in 'Ohonua, 'Eua, on Friday night March 1, remain at large.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Koloale'o Soakai said the robbery took place around midnight. The woman shopkeeper received a cut on her lip.
According to the victim the robbers did not have any weapon, but they stole $10,000 cash that included American, Australian and New Zealand dollars.
Police are still investigating but no arrests had been made to date, said the Deputy Commissioner today.
Police clearances
Meanwhile, Police Commissioner Grant O'Fee said he received a report from the Solicitor General 'Aminiasi Kefu today in regards to an independent inquiry he conducted into the alleged 'clearances of police records'.
The Attorney General's office was requested to conduct inquiries as an independent body from Tonga Police, and to look at the legal aspects of this former practice.
He said the police were making further inquiries of their own. "It will take awhile to talk to people, go through documents and answer some unanswered questions before I make a decision as to what to do with staff allegedly involved in the incident. Two very-high ranking police officers are alleged to have taken part," he said.
Commissioner O'Fee initially said the entire records of the Tongan police had been searched and revealed 172 records had been 'cleared'. To clear this means that the records are still intact but that letters had been sent stating that the person making the application had no records when they clearly did have.