Four Tongan nationals, including two former civil servants, will be sentenced on Friday, November 11 after pleading guilty to charges in a Tongan passport forgery trial on September 13.

Ola Fieauna Tameifuna (55), Sosefo Sione ‘Ahohako (37), ‘Isileli Kaumavae (30) and Sioeli Heleta (26) will be sentenced by Hon Mr Justice Cato at 2:00pm at the Nuku’alofa Supreme Court.

The accused had initially pleaded not guilty but changed their pleas to guilty at the start of the case, which involved the passport application using a forged Tongan birth certificate of a person who does not exist, "James Connor Tameifuna".

A former civil servants were ‘Isileli Kaumavae had created a false Tongan birth certificate for this non-existent person. While another civil servant, Sosefo Sione ‘Ahohako who worked at the Magistrate’s Court office made a false declaration that he knew the person.

Since late last year, Tonga Police have charged 12 people in alleged forgeries and illegal issuance of Tongan passports. 

This is the first of the trials, while others are understood to be pending.