Tonga's Speaker pleads not guilty to customs bribery charges [1]
Tuesday, January 17, 2006 - 17:52. Updated on Wednesday, October 1, 2014 - 11:38.
The Speaker of the Tongan Parliament, Hon. Veikune, and two other men pleaded not guilty to charges of bribing customs officers allegedly in an attempt to evade import duties on half a container of rum, when they appeared in the Nuku‘alofa Supreme Court yesterday, January 16.
Today, on the second day of the trial by jury of the three accused, Noble Veikune, ‘Amini Tu‘ivai and ‘Aisea To‘a, it was alleged that the accused bribed and conspired to bribe custom officers for the release of a container containing 600 cartons of Fijian Bounty Rum, which arrived in Nuku...alofa from Fiji in September 2003.
Veikune is charged with bribery of a Government servant, with two alternative charges of conspiracy to commit bribery of a Government servant and knowingly attempting to evade customs laws.
It was alleged that in September 2003 the defendant offered some money to Ofa he Fonua Taufa, a customs officer, as an inducement to release the container of alcohol, as well as conspiring with one of his co-accused ...Amini Tu...ivai to give money to ...Ofa in an attempt to evade import duties on the shipment of rum.
The jury of seven jurors of four men and three women was told that there were 200 cartons of 750ml and 400 cartons of 1.125 litres of Bounty Rum, occupying more than half of the back of the container, while the remaining front space was filled with various food items.
‘Aisea To‘a was charged also with the count of bribery of a Government servant with two alternative charges of conspiracy to commit bribery of a Government servant and attempting to evade custom laws. It was also alleged that on same date he offered money to another customs officer Sione Tupoumalohi Latu as a bribe to release the same container. He was also alleged to have conspired with ‘Amini Tu‘ivai to offer money to the officer for the same reason knowingly evading import duties on the goods.
‘Amini Tu‘ivai was charged with three counts of conspiracy to commit bribery of a Government servant, conspiracy to commit bribery of a Government servant, and thirdly, attempting to evade custom laws.
It was alleged that he conspired with Veikune to give money to the same customs officer Ofa he Fonua Taufa as well as conspiring with Aisea To‘a to offer money to Sione Tupoumalohi Latu.
A total of 17 witnesses will be called during the trial, which is expected to run for two-weeks. The jury trial is presided over by Chief Justice Robin Webster.
The legal counsel for Noble Veikune is Siosifa Tu‘utafaiva, while ‘Amini Tu‘ivai is represented by Clive Edwards, and ...Aisea To...a by Tesina Fifita.
The case entered the Nuku‘alofa Supreme Court in May 2005, when it was was postponed to this year.