Justice Minister charged with wrongful interference over stolen cow [1]
Wednesday, April 3, 2019 - 17:23
Sione Vuna Fa’otusia, Tonga's Minister of Justice, has been charged with wrongful interference with the course of justice and using threatening language to police officers in a dispute over a stolen cow in January.
He appeared at the Fasi Magistrate's Court on Monday, April 1 and had his case adjourned to April 8, where he is expected to give a response in regards to his case being submitted to the Supreme Court.
The Minister faces two counts of wrongful interference with the course of justice and using threatening language to a government servant, in this case police officers, in an incident that occured on 12 January 2019.
The case states that Police had investigated a stolen cow from Fua’amotu. The cow was found to have been sold to a man in Ha’ateiho by a police officer. When police offifcers went to take the cow from this man in Ha'ateiho, he did not want police take the cow until he got his money back from the police officer. The police officers went anyway to a tax allotment removed the cow and returned it to the owner. The Ha’ateiho man then complained to the Minister.
The Minister is then alleged to have telephone the police and used threatening language, including swearing for taking the cow.
Meanwhile, the police officer who sold the stolen cow has been suspended by the Police Commissioner, as he is charged with theft and accepting money as an inducement to refrain from doing his duty as a police officer.