A judgement on Tonga's first case of human trafficking will be delivered in the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court on Monday April 11.

The defendant Liu Lirong (45), a Chinese national, who is residing in Nuku'alofa had pleaded not guilty to seven counts, including four for trafficking persons into Tonga, one for keeping a brothel and two counts for trading in prostitution.

The case was heard in the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court in January. At the end of the hearing on February 4, Justice Robert Shuster reserved his judgment to be delivered on Monday, April 11.

The complainants, two Chinese women, Chun Juan Du and Hong Yu Yang, told the court that Liu had forced them into prostitution in Tongatapu.

Liu in her evidence strongly denied the prostitution claimed by the two victims.

In Tonga, the maximum penalty for trafficking persons is imprisonment not exceeding 25 years.