Two former school prefects received six months jail sentences, while 161 other school boys received suspended sentences and fines for their part in a night attack on a rival school, Tonga College, in 2002 that caused over $490,000 damage to property.

Jailed was Lisiate Nau, now a student of Tupou High School, who was a Tupou College prefect at the time and was said to be a group leader in the platoons that caused the damage weilding cane knives, iron bars and sticks. Justice Ward said Nau was a prefect and senior student and that he should have stopped the students. Misinale Taufa (24) now with the Tonga Defence Services, was also a prefect and one of the group leaders who will serve six months jail.

They were among 181 boys from Tupou College who were charged with the damaging of buildings and school properties at the compound of Tonga College on the night of 13 August 2002. The case was heard in the Supreme Court of Tonga starting on April 13. The youngest was 15 at the time of the incident.

A total of 176 students appeared in court this week, divided into groups of between 18 to 32. Four students were away representing Tonga in the IRB Under 19 and Under 21 rugby union tournament overseas, and the court was told one student was deceased, having been murdered late last year.

All the accused, including the four absentees, pleaded guilty to the two charges of wilfully damaging buildings, and property of Tonga College.

Chief Justice Ward sentenced 161 offenders to 12-months suspended sentences, and an infringement of the suspended sentence will put the offenders in jail for a six months concurrent jail sentence. Most of the offenders were each fined $100 pa'anga to be paid within 28 days or two months in jail in default.

Chief Justice Ward sentenced two offenders to immediately serve six months each in jail. One offender was given a 12 months suspended sentence and no fine, and one sentenced to 12 months probation.

Meanwhile, 12 offenders who were prefects, had their cases postponed until April 23.

The attack took place on the night of August 13 2002 when group of students from Tupou College entered Tonga College and destroyed building and properties.

The legal counsel for the offenders were Sifa Tu'utafaiva and Tomasi Fakahua, and the Crown prosecutor was 'Aminiasi Kefu.

It is understood that Tonga College has brought a Civil Case against the students against the damage, which has been estimated at $490,023.