Six Georgian nationals who pleaded guilty to knowingly dealing with forged documents, after entering Tonga on stolen Greek passports, were each given two-years suspended prison sentences, and ordered to pay $1,000 pa'anga each to the Supreme Court today. They are ordered to leave Tonga within two weeks, ordered a Supreme Court judge in Nuku'alofa.

Hon Mr Justice Cato sentenced them on one count each of knowingly dealing with a forged document namely stolen Greek passports.

The court heard that all have cooperated with Tongan authorities. Koba Shinjkashvili, Zaza Tsikarishvili, Nino Menabdishvili, Genadi Gacechechildaze, Mai Garibashvili and Dato Dekanoidze all pleaded guilty today at the Supreme Court, and gave an assurance they intended to leave Tonga as soon as they have organizee their return flights, which they will pay for.

The judge said he fully suspended their sentence on the conditions they are not to commit any offences punishable by imprisonment while they remain in Tonga.

He ordered that they are to each pay within seven-days a sum of $1,000 to Court, they are to reside at an address which individually is to be communicated to the prosecution throughout their remaining stay in Tonga. They are to leave Tonga no later than 14-days from today’s date.

However, he said their counsel Laki Niu may apply to the Court for an extension of time to remain for a very limited period if there were exceptional difficulties in facilitating travel departure for any of them. Their Georgians passports are to be released individually only to enable them as individuals to obtain tickets where required and to travel. They are not to leave Tongatapu.

If they do not abide by the conditions the suspended sentences may be revoked and they may be sent to jail.

Forgery

Hon Mr Justice Cato said that on September 22, each of the accused had knowingly submitted the Greek passports to the employees at the New Zealand Immigration Office knowing they were false documents and intended to deceive the employees.

"The essence of the charge is that they are citizens of Georgia, they flew to Turkey and there obtained passports that were Greek and had been stolen from a person more popularly known as a people smuggler for a sum of about USD$8,000 each. They used these passports to enter Tonga aiming to later gain entry to New Zealand. They discovered a permit was required to enter New Zealand and when they attempted to obtain one in Tonga, their deception was discovered."

However, the accused were cooperative with the authorities and subsequently were charged. One minor who was travelling with them had the charge against him struck off.

The judge said he was assured by Niu that they had the means and with valid Georgian passports, intended to leave Tonga as soon as travel arrangements could be facilitated. 

"I learned from Mrs Langi [the Crown Prosecutor] that because they intended to depart voluntarily, there would be no reason to use immigration procedures for their deportation," he said.

"It s a serious matter to use fraudulent means to enter Tonga for any reason and also as a platform from which to illegally enter other countries. This Court must send out a deterrent message that offenders will be treated harshly by the Courts for offending of this kind. Security of borders is a paramount consideration," said the judge.