Tonga’s former Prime Minister Lord Tu’ivakano pleaded not guilty today to a total of 15 charges, with 12 of those charges including perjury and accepting bribes, relating to the issuance of Tongan passports, and three charges for possession of firearms and ammunition without a license.

The accused noble of Nukunuku, represented by Clive Edwards, appeared before Lord Chief Justice O.G. Paulsen, at the Supreme Court in Nuku’alofa this morning.

After pleading not guilty to all of the charges, his case was adjourned to July 26.

The Prosecution submitted they wanted to hold the noble's trial together with two other accused, 'Isabella Satua Tu’akoi and ‘Ileana Suliana Taulua who are also charged with passport offences.

Edwards strongly opposed the Prosecution's submission to have one trial with all three.

The Chief Justice then adjourned the case so that Prosecution could file their application for a joint trial and for Edwards to file his opposition.

Charges 

Meanwhile, the noble pleaded not guilty to the following charges and its particulars, which were read in Court:

• Count 1-2, Money Laundering
• Count 3, Making a False Statement for the purpose of obtaining a passport
• Count 4-5, Perjury
• Count 6-12, seven charges Accepting of a Bribe by a Government Servant
• Count 13-14, Possession of an Arm without a License
• Count 15, Possession of Ammunition without a Licence.

Particulars

A summary of the particular offences was signed by the attorney General's Office. Lord Tu'ivakano is accused of:

Count 1 

That on July 31, 2013 he knowingly received $26,100.57, which was directly or indirectly obtained from the commissioning of a serious offence and he converted that money with the intention to hide its illegal origin when he caused his wife Robyn Tu’ivakano to deposit the amount in his housing loan account at the bank, BSP Tonga.

Count 2 

That on November 29, 2013 at Nuku’alofa, he received $216,982.90, which was directly or indirectly obtained from the commissioning of a serious offence and he converted that money with the intention to hide its illegal origin, when he caused to deposit that money into his housing loan account at the bank, BSP Tonga.

Count 3 

That on July 17, 2015, at Nuku’alofa with the intention to obtain a passport for Hua Guo and Xing Liu he willfully deceived the Immigration Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, when he wrote a letter to the Immigration Division stating that these two were naturalized as Tongans on October 29, 2014, which he knew or had reasonable cause to believe that this statement was false or misleading.

Count 4 

That on December 21, 2015 in Nuku’alofa, he made a sworn affidavit in which he attested in paragraph 6 that Mr Huo Guo and Ms Xing Liu were naturalized during his tenure as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and he knew that this statement was false. 

Count 5

That on December 21, 2015 he made a sworn affidavit in relation Mr Huo Guo and Ms Xing Liu after naturalization and there were Tongan passports issued to these two and knew that this statement was false. 

Count 6 

That on July 31, 2013 at Nuku’alofa, while working as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, he did accept $26,100.57 from persons unknown. This money was received through his wife Joyce Robyn Tu’ivakano and it was an inducement for him to approve the issuance of Tongan passports, which were lodged by ‘Isapela Satua Tu’akoi to the Immigration Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

Count 7 

That on November 18, 2013 at Nuku’alofa, while working as the Minister of Foreign Affairs he did accept $199,408.94 pa'anga from Sien Lee and Ying Huang Lee and this money was an inducement to approve the issuance of Tongan passports, which were lodged by their agent ‘Isapela Satua Tu’akoi to the Immigration Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

Count 8 

That on November 20, 2013 at Nuku’alofa while working as the Minister of Foreign Affairs he did accept $17,573.96 pa'anga from Technic Enterprise Ltd and it was an inducement to approve the issuance of Tongan passports, lodged by ‘Isapela Satua Tu’akoi to the Immigration Division

Count 9 

That on July 23, 2014, while working at the Minister of Foreign Affairs he did accept $9,718.78 pa'anga from Ying Huan Lee. This money was received through his wife Joyce Robyn Tu’ivakano and it was an inducement to approve the issuance of Tongan passports, which were lodged by Ying Huan Lee’s agent ‘Isapela Satua Tu’akoi, to the Immigration Division.

Count 10 

That on November 20, 2014 at Nuku’alofa, while working as the Minister of Foreign Affairs he did accept $3,000 pa’anga from Sien Lee. This money was received through a grandson Jordan Kaho and it was an inducement for him to approve the issuance of Tongan passports, which were lodged by Lee’s agent ‘Isapela Satua Tu’akoi to the Immigration Division.

Count 11 

That on November 28, 2014 while working as Minister of Foreign Affairs he did accept $5,000 pa’anga from Sien Lee, this money was received through his grandson and this was an incumbent for him to approve the issuance of Tongan passports lodge by Lee’s agent ‘Isapela Satua Tu’akoi to the Immigration Division.

Count 12 

That on December 31, 2014 while working as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, he did accept $10,000 pa’anga from Sien Lee and this money was received through his wife and was an inducement for him to approve the issuance of Tongan passports, lodged by Lee’s Agent 'Isapela Satua Tuakoi to the immigration Division.

Count 13-14 

That the accused on March 1, 2018 at Nuku’alofa for possession of a rifle (Marlin Midel 70HC .22 LR rifle) without a licence and a Bettinsoli X Sport T16 12 gauge shotgun without a licence. 

Count 15

Lord Tu'ivakano is accused to have possessed 258 pieces of ammunition without a licence on March 1, 2018.

Lord Tu'ivakano was arrested and charged in March last year.

His bail has been extended to his next court date.