Final submissions of the defence for the Hon. Veikune and his co accused, 'Amini Tu'ivai were completed at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court this afternoon, in a trial over charges relating to alleged bribery of customs officers by Tonga's Speaker and others.

In the jury trial, which began on January 16, Chief Justice Robin Webster today dismissed one charge of conspiracy to commit bribery that was laid against the three accused, Hon. Veikune, 'Amini Tu'ivai and 'Aisea To'a, due to insufficient evidence provided by the Crown...’s prosecution.

Following the dismissal of the conspiracy charge, Hon. Veikune now faces a jury decision on the remaining two charges, of bribing a Government servant and attempting to evade custom laws, while ...‘Amini Tu'ivai faces one charge of attempting to evade customs laws.

Meanwhile, the third defendant ...‘Aisea To'a, a private customs broker, chose to be tried by judge, and was excused from the jury trial of the other two accused. He will appear in the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court on January 26 to face two charges of bribing a Government servant and attempting to evade customs laws.

In the final submissions of William Clive Edwards counsel for ...‘Amini To'a, wanted to know the particular act or section in the Customs and Excise Act that the defendant had broken. He argued that there was no case against him.

Counsel for Hon. Veikune, Siosifa Tu...’utafaiva, in his final submissions on the first count of the bribery of a Government servant, said that the Crown had not been able to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Veikune was guilty on this charge. He said that Veikune asked one of the customs officers, ...‘Ofa Taufa for assistance, and had offered him money for his assistance, but Veikune did not say that he meant that this was a bribe for the release of a container of rum.

On the second charge of attempting to evade custom laws, the counsel said that the prosecution had failed to prove this beyond reasonable doubt. He said that the crown also failed to provide evidence that Veikune intended to evade paying duties when he merely asked for assistance from Sione Latu, a customs officer.

The Solicitor General, ...‘Alisi Taumoepeau, told the court that the charges against the accused were based on two Acts, the Criminal Offence Act and the Custom Excise Act. She said in the Customs and Excise Act only three bodies can make a letter of deliberation for any unlawful imported goods found and they are the King in Council, the Chief Commissioner of Revenue and the Commissioner of Revenue.

The Chief Justice Robin Webster will complete his legal summary of the case to the jurors tomorrow morning before the jurors are let go to consider their verdict.