Results for guilty

Three men were found guilty on charges including serious housebreaking and unlawful imprisonment of another man, when they took him by force from his home at Sopu to Kahana Resort on Tongatapu because of a disputed loan of $150,000. One of the defendants was armed with a knife.

Kesomi Taufa (35) received a suspended sentence on conditions after being found guilty for possession of 0.03 grams of methamphetamine in Ma’ufanga.

Siosina Vakasiuola (30) was found guilty on two charges of obtaining money by false pretences, when she received $47,000 from two customers, who signed contracts with her for the importation of vehicles, which never materialized. “Miss Vakasiuola was not a convincing witness and I conclude that she has lied to the Court," stated the judge.

Heneli Manuofetoa, ‘Aisea Havea and Kaniteli Guttenbeil were found guilty of possession of cannabis seized in Popua. Heneli was sentenced to five and a half months imprisonment to run concurrent with the 32-months that he is already serving in prison.

Drugs offender, Pita Talanoa will be sentenced next month on three charges including possession of 24.34 grams of methamphetamine seized at Veitongo in 2023. His female co-offender who faced one charge was found not guilty due to insufficient evidence.

Viliami Tu’ipulotu and Heneli Manuofetoa have been found guilty of receiving stolen property, namely laptops stolen from the Ministry of Revenue in 2022. 

Siaosi Brown (31) was found guilty of possession of illicit drugs, namely 222.69 grams of cannabis seized during a police search at a residence at Fanga. He will be sentenced on 11 November. In delivering his verdict Mr Justice Cooper was critical of the Crown prosecution's attempts to to call a convicted drug user to attempt to undermine the evidence of two police officers. “That sort of error needs to be properly understood so it is not repeated,” he warned.

Siaosi Helu was today found guilty of unlawful possession 0.04 grams of methamphetamine found hidden inside his tight pants, during a routine body search by Police, when arrested for public drunkenness.

Limoni Tito Siasau was found guilty of serious indecent assault committed on a 33-year-old female worker on board a yacht in Vaipua, Vava'u.