A team from Tonga's Crown Law Department will be prosecuting about 50 major cases relating to the November 16 riots, at the Nuku'alofa Magistrate's Court, starting on April 3, said the Solicitor General Linda Folaumoetu'i today.

Linda said that they would start with the Preliminary Inquiry hearings of the five People's Representatives who had been charged with major crimes, such as sedition, "they will be followed by other people who have also been charged with similar major crimes."

Linda estimated that about 16 people have been charged with sedition including the PR's, three for murder, about 20 for arson, and over 10 people have been charged as the leaders in the destruction of properties during the November 16 riots.

On March 15 Linda announced that the Prosecution Team of the Crown Law Department would take over the prosecution of crimes such as sedition, arson, and murder, while other cases would be handled by the police prosecutors