The jury trial against Lord Tu’ivakano who is charged with 10 counts, mostly passport related offences continues at the Supreme Court, in Nuku'alofa.

The accused has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges, including five for for accepting bribe as a government servant and one each for money laundering, making a false statement for the purpose of obtaining a passport and perjury.

The other two are for possession of an arm without a license (namely a .22 rifle) and possession of 212 pieces of ammunition without a license.

Particulars of accepting bribe charges alleged that on different dates between 2013-2014, the accused, while acting in the capacity as the Minister for Foreign Affairs, accepted money as inducement for the issuance of Tongan passports to various Chinese nationals.

Crown 

The Crown has called the evidence of three of its witnesses, cross-examined by defense counsel William Clive Edwards.

First up was a former Senior Immigration Officer Lovina Ula, followed by a former driver Kalisitiane Tovi and Sosefo Kapeli Leone, who had also worked also for Immigration.

Lovina  gave her evidence in chief, in regards to being contacted by the accused, who was the Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs at the time, to process passport applications for Chinese nationals.

Tovi was a driver who picked up a Chinese man called Sien Lee from the airport, and who drove him around Nuku'alofa, including to a home of Satua Tu'akoi. He said this was around 2012.

Lee's name is on the indicment, which alleged that he paid money as an inducement to the acussed to issue the Tongan passports.

He also testified to have picked up Lovina and had driven her from her home to Emerald, a Chinese restaurant and to Immigration, on one particular night.

Leone, on the other hand gave his evidence in regards to receiving a folder containing these passport applications to be put to Immigration to be processed, but was denied due to its incompletion, as it required for a new affidavit, from one 'Ileana Taulua.

His evidence, in particular noted the accused calling him on his cell to follow up on this matter, and when he was told that this person 'Ouita Kaho (Immigration) had declined to process it, because the application needed a new affidavit.

The accused is alleged to have told the witness, to take the applications to 'Ouita to issue and deal with the new one later.

Trial

Meanwhile, the Court heard, the amount alleged the accused accepted bribes which ranged, but in one acceptance of a bribe charge, was as much as $199,408.94 pa'anga received, while the lowest was $3,000 pa'anga, on another.

The defence is expected to also call witnesses after the Crown.

The trial is expected to sit for four-weeks.