An appeal by a Tongatapu People's Representative against a ruling by a Nuku'alofa Magistrate to dismiss a case he brought against the Prime Minister Lord Tu'ivakano and three others will be heard on November 27, at the Supreme Court in Nuku'alofa.

'Akilisi Pohiva had taken the Prime Minister, the Minister of Justice Hon. Clive Edwards, a Tongan company Tongasat and HRH Princess Pilolevu Tuita to the Nuku'alofa Magistrate's Court earlier this year over accusations of larceny and receiving stolen property.

The Chief Justice Hon. Michael Scott will preside over the one-day hearing this month after confirming the hearing date in chambers today.

Dismissal

On April 26, 2013 Magistrate Salesi Mafi ruled there was no prima facie case against the defendants and dismissed the case after finding that Pohiva could not substantiate his claims at the lower court.

The indictments alleged an illegal transference to Tongasat of TOP$18 million, which was part of a grant from the Chinese Government to the Tongan Government.

The case was first called on April 22 and attended by some of the defendants, including the Princess.

Tongasat is a private company headed by Princess Pilolevu, and since its inception in the early 1990s it has acquired the exclusive right to acquire orbital slots in space for Tonga, and market them for the Tongan government.