Two men who were charged in relation to forgery over Tongan passport applications are now expected to appear at the Magistrate’s Court in Nuku’alofa on 15 May.

On 10 March, a Tonga Police task force arrested and charged a 44 year-old Tongan man from Kolofo’ou with forgery and false declaration.

A 54 year-old man from Tofoa was arrested and charged with forgery and knowingly dealing with forged documents.

These arrests bring the total to 23 persons arrested since the start of the passport investigations on August 25, 2015.

Meanwhile, 12 convictions have been made by the courts to date.

The passport taskforce is working closely with the Ministry of Justice, Tonga Immigration, National Identity Cards Office and the Ministry of Health in combating crimes of identity fraud.