A Tongan noble, Tu'ilakepa, has been charged with five criminal counts, including two for possession of illegal firearms, two for possession illegal ammunition and one count for possession of an illicit drug, after making his second court appearance in closed chambers at the Fasi Magistrate's Court today, December 9.

A former Speaker of the Tonga Legislative Assembly and re-elected Vava'u Nobles' Representative, Tu'ilakpea had been remanded in police custody at the Longlongo Police station for seven days since his arrest on Thursday, December 2 and first appearance in chambers on the same date.

The Solicitor General 'Aminiasi Kefu, the prosecutor, confirmed that Lord Tu'ilakepa was released on bail today on the condition that he was to provide two sureties of $1,000 each and surrender his passport.

The proceedings inside the court chamber this morning were closed to the public and media. Present were the presiding Magistrate Salesi Mafi, the defendant, his counsel Clive Edwards, and the Crown prosecutor, 'Aminiasi Kefu.

The defendant's next court appearance is set for January 24, 2011 again in closed chambers, at the Fasi Magistrate's Court where a date for the Preliminary Inquiry would be set to begin at the Magistrate's Court next year.

Raids

In a transnational police investigation into illicit drugs that was conducted in Tonga and Australia, Tonga Police executed five search warrants on December 2 at four locations in Tongatapu and one location in Vava'u. This resulted in the arrest of one male person in Tongatapu, Tu'ilakepa. Tonga Police received information from the Australian Federal Police, who also conducted searches in Sydney.

Meanwhile, the defendant who is now on bail, will be one of the 26 members of parliament who will take part in a secret ballot to choose Tonga's new Prime Minister before Christmas.