Police arrest Minister of Internal Affairs and husband [1]
Saturday, March 3, 2018 - 16:05
Tonga Police today 3 March arrested the Minister of Internal Affairs Hon. Mrs. ‘Akosita Lavulavu and her husband former Cabinet member ‘Etuate Lavulavu on various fraud charges.
The charges are three counts of knowingly dealing with forged documents, and three counts of obtaining by false pretences.
According to Police Commissioner Stephen Caldwell, the charges relate to a referral made to Tonga Police by the Auditor General over a number of irregularities in an audit of the ‘Unuaki ‘o Tonga Royal Institute in 2016. The institute was established by the Lavulavus.
Tonga Police stated in a media release today that Police Commissioner Caldwell wanted "to send a clear message that no one is above the law and the law would be enforced without fear or favour by the Tonga Police".