Tonga’s Court of Appeal second session will hear 12 appeals from September 7-18 at the Supreme Court in Nuku’alofa. 

The two-weeks session includes eight civil, two criminals and two land cases.

One of the civil appeals is by the Prime Minister Hon ‘Akilisi Pohiva and the Public Service Association Inc. (PSA) in a case against the Kingdom of Tonga and the Friendly Island Satellite Communications Ltd trading as Tongasat.

They are appealing against former Chief Justice Scott’s ruling in March earlier this year to pay $20,000 each into the Supreme Court for security costs totaling at $40,000 before their civil action against Tongasat can proceed.

This arose out of a case when the PM and Mele ‘Amanaki sued the government, the Attorney General and Tongasat last year for  alleged unlawful payment of money from Government to Tongasat in 2011.

Pohiva who was unsuccessful in his criminal prosecution then decided to sue in the civil courts in which appeal arose from.

In a another civil appeal, the Friendly Island Satellite Communications Ltd (Tongasat) is appealing against a decision by Lord Chief Justice Paulsen to set aside an injunction to stop Kele’a newspaper, Mele ‘Amanaki and Public Service Association Inc. from publishing Tongasat’s confidential tax documents.

The newspaper and PSA newsletter had published statements about Tongasat's tax.

At the same time, the Minister of Infrastructure Hon ‘Etuate Lavulavu will also have his civil appeal heard.

He is appealing against Lord Chief Justice Paulsen's decision when he ruled that he was not entitled to have a jury trial in an election petition filed against him by Viliami Latu and 'Aisea Silivenusi To'a against him.

The election petition alleged Lavulavu had committed bribery and other corrupt practices during his election campaign in November last year.

Hon Mr Justice Michael Moore  will sit for the first time as Vice-President after Hon Mr Justice Peter Salmon’s retirement earlier this year. He will be joined by Mr Justice Peter Blanchard, Hon Mr Justice Rodney Hansen and Hon Mr Justice Lord Tupou.

Judgments will be delivered on Friday, 18 September.