Results for Lord Chief Justice Whitten

A man was found guilty at the Supreme Court on two counts of rape committed on a young girl in Tongatapu. He will be sentenced in August.

Fili Langi Ta’ai (57) who pleaded guilty to one count of bribery of a member of Tonga Police was sentenced to nine-months imprisonment, which was fully suspended at the Supreme Court on June 25.

A 44-year-old man has been jailed for two-years after he was found guilty on two counts of indecent assault of a teenage girl in 2018. "With the possible exception of the relatively recent rise in serious drug related offences, sexual offences, especially against the young are one of the most damaging ills to the moral and legal integrity of any society," said the Chief Justice.

Two 16-year-olds who pleaded guilty to carnal knowledge of a young girl under the age of 15 years and simple indecent assault received non-custodial sentences, at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court on May 29. “In the ordinary case, a custodial sentence would be warranted in order to reflect the Court's denunciation of this alarmingly prevalent type of offending, to protect young girls in society and effect adequate deterrence,” the Lord Chief Justice said.

The Crown has been ordered by the Lord Chief Justice to return more than $10,000 in cash to a local Chinese business. The cash was forfeited when he was charged for false declaration, at Fua'amotu International Airport in 2018.

Lord Tu'ivakano was sentenced today to two-years imprisonment, which was fully suspended, for charges relating to the issuance of Tongan passports to Chinese nationals. He was also fined $4,000 for possession of a firearm and ammunition without a license. In sentencing, the Chief Justice also took into consideration the potential ramifications of s.37 of the Land Act, clause 23 of the Constitution and s.386 of the Companies Act. (If the prison sentence was more than two years the noble would lose his hereditary rights.)

Fanguna Alalea (33) was sentenced to three-years imprisonment for offering a bribe to another police officer to take drugs from the Police exhibit room last July. This was in regards to a case concerning Sione Filipe Jr. “A police officer seeking to corrupt another police officer, is in my view, one of the most disgraceful acts imaginable,” said the Chief Justice.

A jury of seven has found former Prime Minister Lord Tu‘ivakano guilty on three charges that include making a false statement for the purpose of obtaining a passport and perjury, at the end of a 21-days trial at the Supreme Court. The accused will be sentenced next month.

Lord Tu’ivakano has pleaded guilty this morning, March 4 to possession of an arm without a license. He will be sentenced on a later date.