A Pea man who attacked two family members with a machete during a heated family dispute has been sentenced to two years and three months’ imprisonment, fully suspended for three years, by the Supreme Court of Tonga.
Lord Chief Justice Malcolm Bishop KC sentenced Viliami Taukeiʻaho on 5 May 2026 after he was convicted at trial of causing serious bodily harm and common assault.
The charges arose from an incident on 1 February 2024 at a family residence in Pea. The Court heard that Taukeiʻaho confronted his sister-in-law, Vaokakala Tupouhia, while armed with a machete following an argument involving his father.
According to the judgment, Taukeiʻaho threatened to “chop them into pieces” before swinging the machete at Vaokakala, who avoided injury by ducking. He then chased her brother, Tomasi Kitekeiʻaho, and struck him on the foot with the weapon as he attempted to escape over a veranda fence.
Tomasi was treated at Vaiola Hospital for injuries to two toes on his right foot.
During sentencing, Chief Justice Bishop KC stressed the seriousness of machete violence in Tonga.
“It must be plainly understood that those who inflict violence with weapons such as a machete can expect an immediate custodial sentence,” he said.
The Chief Justice described machetes as “a potentially lethal weapon” and warned that their “increased use in the Kingdom is becoming a serious obstacle to public order.”
Primary caretaker
However, the Court accepted that the offending arose from family tensions involving the defendant’s late parents and took into account Taukeiʻaho’s personal circumstances, including that he is the primary caregiver for five children after his wife moved to the United States.
The Court also considered evidence that one of his children suffers from rheumatic heart disease and requires ongoing medical treatment.
Justice Bishop said he accepted the defendant was remorseful and noted his previously good character within the church and community.
“I entirely accept that he found what happened to them and threatened to them extremely distressing,” the Chief Justice said in reference to the defendant’s belief that his parents had been mistreated by relatives.
The Court adopted a starting point of three years’ imprisonment for the serious bodily harm charge and six months for common assault. After deductions for mitigation, the final sentence totalled two years and three months’ imprisonment.
The entire sentence was suspended for three years on conditions including 12 months’ probation, completion of anger management courses, 100 hours of community service, and compliance with probation supervision.
Justice Bishop warned that any breach of the conditions could result in the defendant serving the full prison term.
Mrs E. Lui appeared for the Prosecution. Ms L. Tonga appeared for the Defendant.
