Results for appeals

Three Tongan Cabinet Ministers have lost their appeals against court decisions that declared their election results void. Eight judgments from a Special Court of Appeal session, held last month, were released late this afternoon in Nuku'alofa. The Appeal Court said, “If there is a lesson to be learned, candidates for an election should be astute not to make any gifts within three-months of an election...Rather they should withhold their largesse until after the election.” Some of the other appeals were also dismissed.

Lord Tu’ivakano lost his appeal against the dismissal of his malicious prosecution claim against the Police Commissioner, Attorney General and the Kingdom of Tonga in 2021, when he was claiming a total of $5.75 million in damages. Today, the Appeal Court judges stated that the Lord Chief Justice was right to dismiss the malicious prosecution claim.

The first session of Tonga's Court of Appeal for this year started today, 16 May and includes ‘Etuate Lavulavu's appeal against his conviction and sentence. He is currently serving six-years in prison with his wife 'Akosita, whose appeal is expected to be heard in the next session.

Leimoni Tito Siasau (49) who was sentenced to four-years imprisonment for serious indecent assault of a 33-year-old woman got his sentence reduced to two-years by the Appeal Court on October 1.

'Ana Katokakala Siale (37) had her suspended sentence for house breaking and theft of Tongan handicrafts valued at $14,100 pa'anga, quashed by the Appeal Court on October 1. She will now serve six-months at Hu'atolitoli Prison.

The judgments of appeal cases heard in the second and last session of this year's Court of Appeal in Tonga will be delivered on Friday, October 1.

The first session of Tonga's Court of Appeal this year will sit for two-days starting on March 22, and will include two judges appearing via audio-visual link from abroad.

Tonga’s second session of the Court of Appeal will preside over five appeals, starting on September 2 in Nuku'alofa.

Tonga’s Court of Appeal from 8-18 April will hear an appeal by TongaSat against a Supreme Court decision that declared that the multi-million Chinese aid fund grants paid to the company in 2008 and 2011 were unlawful.