Motesio Vaioleti (33), who knew he was driving with faulty brakes with his children in the vehicle, and crashed into another vehicle, was fined $300 pa’anga. Mr Justice Niu “This offence is serious,” said the Judge who recommended that the Legislature heavier penalties be legislated for this offence, because there are many vehicles on the road, “we should not wait until a life is lost,” he said.
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Results for From the Courts
Tuesday 1 February 2022
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Nuku’alofa, Tonga
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Monday 31 January 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tulapa Samoa Pese (38) was sentenced to three-years imprisonment for causing serious bodily harm to a 22-year-old man with a machete at Lapaha. The judge found that the defendant carefully calculated and planned his attack. The way he carried out the attack was chilling, they ambushed the victim. “This is not only brutal; it is a cowardly behaviour to attack an unarmed person,” he said at the sentencing.
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Monday 31 January 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A man in his 40s was sentenced to two-years six-months imprisonment for three counts of serious indecent assault of a minor aged 12 years old, in Tongatapu. Hon. Mr Justice Cooper ordered there be no publication of any detail that could lead to the identification of the victim in this case.
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Friday 28 January 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
An intoxicated driver, Siuta Taufa (25), who was speeding to get home before the midnight curfew, was found guilty of dangerous driving causing the death of his passenger in an accident on Taufa‘ahau Road, at Malapo in July 2021. They had had been drinking alcohol and taking methamphetamine. He awaits sentencing.
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Saturday 15 January 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Mikaele Hoponoa Pahulu (42) was sentenced to 11 years and 7 months imprisonment for manslaughter in a sadistic, brutally violent attack on a frail 71-year-old patient at the Psychiatric Ward in Vaiola Hospital. “This was manslaughter just short of murder, possibly only because that was not charged. Why murder was not charged has never been explained,” said the Supreme Court judge. “It is just barbaric.” Another person stood alongside, watched and walked away leaving the victim unconscious on the ground.
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Friday 24 December 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Melekiola Tu’ipulotu, who was convicted of serious bodily harm for using a machete on a 16-year-old boy, was sentenced to one-year imprisonment, fully suspended for two-years at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court. "I hope that this decision sends a message to our people not to take up a helepelu and use violence to make their points. Self-control is a necessary duty we must all demonstrate as responsible citizens in leading our families and communities," said the Acting Chief Justice.
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Friday 17 December 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Poni ‘Ahohako (26) was found guilty of serious housebreaking and causing serious bodily harm, when he hit Ramsay Dalgety on the head with a teapot, when he broke into his home on February 8 this year, at Ha'ateiho.
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Thursday 16 December 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A man was sentenced to 18-months imprisonment for two counts of serious indecent assault of a young girl in Tongatapu. Being the breadwinner for his family did not entitle the accused to a full suspension of an imprisonment sentence because of the seriousness of the sexual offence that he had committed, said the judge.
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Wednesday 8 December 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
‘Okusitino Penisimani Tatafu (49) is the man who was arrested in Neiafu, when Police seized 254.72 grams of cocaine on November 14. He remains in police custody, until January 2022.
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Tuesday 7 December 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Two men were convicted of murder, after repeatedly beating a father and seasonal worker, Fanaafi Misifani, on the head with metal pipes, at Holonga on 5 October 2019. A third man was convicted of manslaughter. The accused all aged in their 20s, will be sentenced on 17 December 2021.
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Wednesday 1 December 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Three men who were convicted of the string of armed robberies at three Chinese run shops in Tongatapu, in January earlier this year have received lengthy jail terms. Rodney Toki (27), Taniela Pohahau (27) and Tuiaki Muli Pahulu (23) were sentenced on November 29, at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court.
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Tuesday 30 November 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tupou Haupeakui who is charged with possession of equipment in relation to an offence against the Illicit Drugs Control Act was remitted to the Magistrate's Court for re-trial before another Magistrate, after his case was dismissed at the lower court. The prosecution brought this appeal to the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court against a decision of Magistrate Tu'akalau on 6 July this year.
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Monday 29 November 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
‘Ana Katokalala Siale (38) who is currently serving time in Hu'atolitoli Prison was sentenced to serve an additional six-months imprisonment for the housebreaking and theft of $10,650 pa'anga worth of Tongan handicrafts in 2020. She is currently serving two-years six-months imprisonment for two previous convictions of similar offences.
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Monday 22 November 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Siu 'i Vahanoa Tu’ipulotu (49) was sentenced to two and a half-years imprisonment for serious housebreaking and robbery at a store in Ma'ufanga, where he punched the complainant several times, before stealing goods. The judge said that the accused's own alcoholic self-destruction was becoming more dangerous not only to himself and his family, but also to the community because he was repeatedly demonstrating dark, violent behaviour.
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Monday 15 November 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tevita 'Osaiasi Matangi was sentenced to nine-months imprisonment for possession of 1.22 grams of methamphetamine, found with him inside a taxi at Longolongo. This was fully suspended.
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Monday 15 November 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
‘Ioane Tavo (63) received a suspended sentence for possession of 0.04 gram of methamphetamine, after his vehicle was searched by Tonga Police at Hala'ovave.
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Friday 12 November 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
‘Ana Katokakala Siale (38) who is currently serving six-months in Hu'atolitoli Prison was sentenced to serve another two-years for housebreaking and theft of $22,980 pa'anga worth of Tongan artefacts from several homes in Vaini, Ha'asini, Tatakamotonga, Fanga and Pili from 2020 to early 2021..
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Wednesday 10 November 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
‘Ana Lenilisi Tauvaka (42) received a suspended sentence in the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court today for receiving more than $10,000 pa'anga worth of stolen goods from her son, after he had stolen truckloads of goods from the warehouse of his employer, Adiloa’s Store in Nuku'alofa. The judge said the accused had no previous conviction and that her husband just died in March this year, leaving her with eight children, many of whom are still dependent on her.
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Tuesday 9 November 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Vailoa Kavaliku (56), a town officer of Kolofo'ou, was sentenced today to one-year imprisonment sentence for causing serious causing bodily harm, when he hit a man on the head using a piece of timber in Kolofo'ou. The sentence was fully suspended.
Premium contentChief Justice dismisses $5.75 million damages claim by Lord Tu'ivakano in ‘Tongan passports scandal’
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Nuku'alofa’s Supreme Court has thrown out a civil claim by a former Prime Minister, Lord Tu'ivakano, who was seeking $5.75 million pa'anga in damages from the Kingdom of Tonga and others, for alleged “malicious prosecution” of him on criminal charges relating to the so-called ‘Tongan Passports Scandal’. The Lord Chief Justice M. H. Whitten, in a 78-page judgment on 28 October, set out details of how the passports investigation began and listed evidence collected by the Serious Organised Transnational Crime Unit. “I find that there was no evidence of any improper purpose for the prosecution. The only purpose discernible from the evidence was the proper invocation of the criminal law,” he stated.
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