By Linny Folau

‘Ana Lenilisi Tauvaka was found guilty of receiving more than $10,000 pa'anga worth of stolen goods from her husband, after he had stolen truckloads of goods from the warehouse of his employer, Adiloa’s Store in Nuku'alofa.

Hon. Mr Justice Niu convicted the accused at the Nuku’alofa Supreme Court.

He said on two separate days in June 2020 at 'Utulau, she received two separate truckloads of stolen goods, including washing machines, stoves and freezers from her husband.

The accused, her husband and their son were living at Fatu Taulanga's home, together with Fatu, his wife and their children in 'Utulau.

The judge said the store business in which Kisiome worked, had two warehouses where it kept its goods; one was at Kolomotu'a and the other at Havelu.

The keys to the Havelu warehouse were kept at the Kolomotu'a warehouse and Kisione knew that. 


In May 2020, Kisione took the keys to the Havelu warehouse without knowledge or permission of the owner and stole two stoves, three chest freezers and Chinese mats.

He sent those goods to Niuatoputapu. 


On June 16, 2020 he stole a number of stoves and freezers from the Havelu warehouse, using a truck of someone named Folau. He took them to Fatu's house. He, Fatu and the accused unloaded them into the house. 

Again on June 18, 2020 Kisione did the same thing , and stole a number of washing machines, stoves, bicycles, freezers and lamps. These were again taken to and unloaded into Fatu's house. 

The accused and Kisione 
then subsequently took all the goods from Fatu's house into the bush behind Fatu's house. Some of those goods were subsequently moved to a house at Sia'atoutai and to another house in 'Utulau, he said.

Kisione was caught because someone saw him removing the goods from the warehouse on the third occasion and reported it to the store at Nuku'alofa, who then checked and confirmed the theft of the goods.

A complaint was lodged with the police and Kisione was arrested.

The judge said the fact was that the accused had received two separate truckloads from Kisione on two separate days in June 2020 did not render the count in the indictment bad for duplicity.

The estimated sum of $14,714.50 was the total value of the two truckloads, which the accused assisted to unload and move to the bush at the back. Therefore, the charge against the accused exceeded $10,000, and was properly within the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, he said.

After hearing the evidence, he was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the Crown had proved all the necessary elements of the charge, and convicted her.

She will be sentenced on a later date.

Meanwhile, the husband has pleaded guilty to the charges against him.