Results for 'Etuate Lavulavu

The trial to hear an election petition filed against Hon ‘Etuate Lavulavu for illegal campaigning and corruption continued today Monday, 14 December when the Supreme Court in Neiafu heard some of the remaining witnesses for the defendant.

In a marathon press conference lasting nearly four hours yesterday, Tonga’s Prime Minister Hon. ‘Akilisi Pohiva tried to defend his decision to retain a self-confessed corrupted Cabinet Minister, ‘Etuate Lavulavu, as his Minister of Tourism.

We are a people destined for failure because of the corruption we have allowed in our government. Crime is on a steep rise but that is to be expected...when our leaders set such a poor example. We have lost all dignity as a people. – ‘Aisea ‘Amanaki.

A trial to hear an election petition filed against the Minister of Tourism and Vava’u No.16 People’s Representative to Parliament Hon ‘Etuate Lavulavu which was to continue today was further adjourned to Tuesday, 1 December in Neiafu.

The Prime Minister, Hon. ‘Akilisi Pohiva this afternoon, at a Press Conference, sentenced Hon. ‘Etuate Lavulavu for corruption by terminating his ministerial post as Minister of Infrastructure but retained him as Minister of Tourism without pay for five months as from January 2016. No questions were allowed.

A trial to hear an election petition against Hon ‘Etuate Lavulavu for alleged corruption during his election campaign last year will go ahead on 25 November, after the Chief Justice dismissed two applications by Lavulavu, made on 13 November, for the trial to be adjourned. The Chief Justice stated "This court must...ensure the just but efficient and speedy hearing of an electoral petition and to discourage frivolous applications which have been the intention or effect of delaying the hearing."

If the Cabinet Minister Lavulavu was an ordinary Tongan public servant, he would have been arrested by the Police and charged with corruption and other criminal offences. But because he is a minister of the Crown, the Prime Minister of Tonga, ‘Akilisi Pohiva, together with his cabinet and his followers, voted to set him free. – Senolita Swan.

The Appeal Court has dismissed an appeal by Hon ‘Etuate Lavulavu who was seeking trial by a jury for an election petition filed against him for alleged bribery and corrupt practices during his election campaign in November last year.

A trial to hear an election petition filed against Hon ‘Etuate Lavulavu for alleged illegal practices will be heard by a Supreme Court judge without a jury in Vava‘u on July 13-31, 2015.