A 37-year-old man who was allegedly shot in Sopu on 19 April is in serious condition at Vaiola Hospital after avoiding medical attention for 10 days.

The Acting Assistant Police Commissioner Tevita Fifita said today police only learned about the shooting when the victim was admitted to hospital on 29 april.

He is alleged to have been shot by another man during a drinking party with others at Sopu. The shooting was not reported to police.

The victim had concealed his injury since the shooting incident. It was not until Wednesday when he could not sustain the pain that he told his mother he was shot and was taken to hospital. He remains in a serious condition, he said.

Meanwhile, on Thursday 30 April police arrested a male suspect (48) and seized the weapon, an air gun and ammunitions during a search warrant at his home in Sopu.

He has been charged with causing grievous bodily harm and is kept in custody to appear at the Nuku'alofa Magistrate's Court next week.

“We expect to lay additional charges as the gun and ammunitions were not registered,” said Fifita.