Tonga's Prime Minister, Dr Feleti Sevele was repeatedly warned by 'Akilisi Pohiva that Nuku'alofa would be destroyed if the government would not do what the people wanted, Lopeti Senituli, told the Nuku'alofa Police Magistrate's Court yesterday morning.

Lopeti, the Prime Minister's Press Secretary and Political Adviser, said that before a special meeting in the Cabinet Room that was called by the Prime Minister in the afternoon of November 16, 'Akilisi sounded his warning to the PM.

The meeting finally got under way after the Minister of Justice called for them to pray.

Lopeti's recollection of what happened that afternoon began with him attending to a Reverend Finau and his wife in his office, and while they were talking, Paula Ma'u the Deputy Secretary at the Prime Minister's office informed him that the Prime Minister wanted him to go to Pangai Si'i and get 'Akilisi Pohiva for a meeting.

"I told the Reverend and his wife to wait at a reception room at the back of the office, because it was safe. As I came down to the gate of the office people were filling up the front entrance all the way to the Westpac Bank, as well as the PM's side gate to Pangai Si'i."

Lopeti said that he tried to leave the PM's office compound but he couldn't because people were blocking the entrances. About this time he saw Police Inspector 'Unga Fa'aoa who was not in uniform, but he was with three other officers. He asked them if they could accompany him to Pangai Si'i to look for 'Akilisi. 'Unga told him that it would be dangerous to go out because it was unstable at Pangai Si'i, and Lopeti then asked them if they could tell 'Akilisi to come to the PM's office.

"I came back from the gate and stood with other PM's staff, including Paula Ma'u, and I told him that I had asked the police to get 'Akilisi. While we were talking I saw Semisi Tapueluelu walking quickly across Pangai Si'i so I called out to him.

"Semisi came to the gate and I asked him to get 'Akilisi, he said yes and off he went to Pangai Si'i. I heard him in a loud speaker calling for 'Akilisi to come to the PM's Office and meet me at the gate. I also heard him calling for other PRs to come too."

Lopeti said that about this time he heard the trashing of the Treasury then the Parliament House. He also heard Lepolo Taunisila calling for the people to come back to Pangai Si'i.

"Then I saw 'Akilisi walking towards the PM's gate and other PR's including Clive Edwards, Lepolo and 'Uliti Uata were about 10 meters behind him.

"I opened the gate for 'Akilisi who arrived first and we started walking to the office when 'Uliti [Uata] yelled out to wait so we went back to the gate and I told them to wait there while I go and inform the PM that they were waiting outside."

In the Cabinet Room Lopeti said Prime Minister told him to tell the Cabinet Ministers and nobles who were waiting in the office to go into the cabinet room.

"I then went outside to get 'Akilisi and the other PRs, but on the way I met Paula leading the PRs in, so we all went into the cabinet room."

Lopeti told the court that 'Akilisi Pohiva addressed the meeting first and warned that if government did not do what the people wanted Nuku'alofa would be destroyed.

Discussions then continued but Pohiva repeatedly warned the PM of what could happen if government did not give in to the demands of the people. The Minister of Justice then asked that they should pray. After prayers 'Uliti apologised to the PM for the damage that had been done, but he reminded him they had warned Government.

Lopeti said that 'Akilisi Pohiva then spoke again and repeated what he said before but in a lower tone. The Minister of Police then asked him what about the Rule of Law.

'Akilisi responded by shouting, "the Rule of Law is a fraud."

Lopeti said that while this was going on the PM tried to contact His Majesty King George Tupou V but he could not get through. The PM gave him a number to try but still there was no connection. The PM then went outside of the cabinet room and he followed him out, while discussion was still going on in the Cabinet Room.

The hearing adjourned for lunch. Lopeti continued to give evidence in the afternoon before being cross-examined by the defence counsels.

The hearing will continue today, May 22.