Second Court of Appeal session starts in Nuku'alofa [1]
Monday, October 4, 2010 - 20:10. Updated on Monday, September 9, 2013 - 18:40.
A SECOND Tonga Court of Appeal Session for 2010 began at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court today, October 4, for one week to hear nine appeal cases, including one by a former Minister of Transport, Paul Karalus.
He is appealing against a judgement by former Chief Justice Anthony Ford ,who rejected his application for judicial review of the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Sinking of the MV Princess Ashika.
On August 9, former Chief Justice Ford in a 21 page written decision rejected the former Minister's application for judicial review of the report.
Presided over by Mr Justice James Burchett, Mr Justice Peter Salmon, and Mr Justice Michael Moore, the session is to end on Friday, October 8 with the delivery of judgments.
The other eight cases include appeals made against sentences imposed for murder, embezzlement, possession of illegal firearms and ammunitions, divorce and adoption.
The appeals are Talia'uli v Rex; Tafea v Rex; Veikoso v Rex; Tali v Rex; Liou v Rex; Aukafolau v ANZ; Cho v Kim; Ilaisaane Tupou v Lisiate Fonua Fukofuka; and Hatch v Solicitor General.
The first Tongan Court of Appeal 2010 Session was held in Nuku'alofa from July 5-14 and dealt with 20 appeal cases. Fourteen appeals were allowed, two were dismissed, one withdrawn, two were adjourned while another case that sought leave to appeal out of time was refused.
It is understood that the second session was initiated to hear remaining cases that could not be heard in the first session in July, as well as new ones.