Tu'ivakano passport trial in February [1]
Thursday, January 23, 2020 - 18:10
The trial for Lord Tu’ivakano on charges relating to the issuance of Tongan passports starts on February 10, at the Supreme Court in Nuku’alofa.
Prosecution confirmed today, the jury trial to be held before Lord Chief Justice Whitten has been set down for six-weeks.
The noble is charged with 14 counts, including two counts of money laundering, two of perjury, one of making a false statement for the purpose of obtaining a passport, six counts of accepting a bribe as a government servant, two counts of possession of a firearm without a licence and one count of possession of ammunition without a licence.
Meanwhile, two other accused who are charged in relation to the same offences will have two separate trials, most likely in June.
'Ileana Taulua is charged with five counts of making a false declaration and one count of possession of an unlawfully issued passport. While, 'Isapela Tu'akoi is charged with four counts of making a false declaration and four counts of forgery.
On December 3, last year, the Chief Justice refused the prosecution’s application for a joint trial for the three, hence these separate trials.