Appeals dismissed, three Cabinet Ministers elections void

Three Tongan Cabinet Ministers have lost their appeals against court decisions that declared their election results void. Eight judgments from a Special Court of Appeal session, held last month, were released late this afternoon in Nuku'alofa. The Appeal Court said, “If there is a lesson to be learned, candidates for an election should be astute not to make any gifts within three-months of an election...Rather they should withhold their largesse until after the election.” Some of the other appeals were also dismissed.