The Prime Minister Hon. 'Akilisi Pohiva has fired Hon. ‘Akosita Lavulavu, his Minister for Internal Affairs and Sports, effective yesterday, Wednesday 11 April 2018.

The PM said he met ‘Akosita three times and asked her to resign, but she refused. For the last time, he had asked her to tender her letter of resignation no later than 4:00pm on 10 April.

He said ‘Akosita responded with a “very long letter”. But she did not resign, and then he revoked her from the portfolio of  Minister of Internal Affairs and Sports.

The Prime Minister had also informed the King of the revocation.

Her successor has not been announced. Meanwhile, the Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Semisi Sika has taken on the Minister of Internal Affairs and Sports portfolio.

Hon. ‘Akosita Havili Lavulavu was sworn-in as the Minister of Internal Affairs and Sports, in the PM's new cabinet on January 18 this year.

'Akosita and her husband former Cabinet member ‘Etuate Lavulavu, were arrested by Tonga Police on March 3 on fraud charges. 

The couple are charged with three counts each of knowingly dealing with forged documents and three counts of obtaining credit by false pretences, which relates to a number of irregularities in an audit of the ‘Unuaki ‘o Tonga Royal Institute in 2016. They appeared in the lower court in March and their case was adjourned to May 28.