Results for From the Courts

An application by ‘Etuate Lavulavu to strike out his prosecution, claiming it was an abuse of process, was struck out by the Lord Chief Justice on 19 May. Together with his wife, 'Akosita Lavulavu they will stand a re-trial on an amended indictment. The Lord Chief Justice said the charges are serious and there is a powerful public interest in ensuring that they are tried properly, fairly and according to law.

Semisi Mala’efo’ou (16) was sentenced to three-years imprisonment for dangerous driving causing the death of a 21-year-old on ‘Eua in November 2022.

A 63-year-old man was sentenced to eight-years imprisonment with no suspension. for three charges, that included raping a woman on Tongatapu.

A 29-year-old man was sentenced to two-years six-months imprisonment for causing serious bodily harm to his wife in a brutal attack using three weapons, on Tongatapu in 2022, after he became infuriated with gossip about his wife on Facebook. The judge said it was in the worst category of cases involving domestic violence that had come before the court.

Sione Matangi Malupo (35) was sentenced to two-years imprisonment for serious housebreaking and theft of goods, including Tongan crafts valued at around $11,600 from a home in Ma’ufanga.

Siosifa Vailima Tuita (52) was sentenced to 12-years imprisonment for manslaughter of his twin sister in Falaleu, Vava'u, last year. During sentencing today, Lord Chief Justice Whitten KC said the accused stabbed his sister multiple times with a knife, “in what can only be characterised as a heinous and tragic crime of extreme brutality.”

A prolific armed robber, Rodney Toki (27), must serve another two years in prison, to be added onto a 12 years sentence he is already serving, the Appeal Court ruled this month. “This is one of those rare cases where there is little if any hope of his rehabilitation. The protection of society requires that he remain imprisoned for a lengthy period, which properly reflects the total seriousness of his two distinct bouts of criminal offending," stated the Appeal Court ruling.

An appeal against a judgment of the Supreme Court, which awarded $50,000 damages to Mele Teusiva ‘Amanaki, in a long winding defamation suit against the Tonga Weekly newspaper and its former editor, Faka'osi Maama, was dismissed last week, by the Court of Appeal in Nuku'alofa. They published articles and a photograph on three occasions in 2014.

Uaine Palesi Fa (27) was sentenced to imprisonment by the Appeal Court, after overturning his suspended sentence initially imposed by the Supreme Court in 2022, for possession of 28.55 grams of cocaine in Vava'u.