Results for Hon Mr Justice Cato

Two men received imprisonment sentences on May 29 at the Supreme Court, after pleading guilty to possession of cannabis that included seeds found to have been germinating, possibly for cultivation.

A criminal trial that was to start on April 3 in Neiafu, Vava'u, during a Supreme Court circuit has been adjourned after a man accused of indecent assault was reported to have fled Vava'u.

Hekisou Fifita (48) who pleaded guilty and was convicted of carrying a .22 rifle inside a bar in Nuku’alofa with the intention to commit an offence, received a fully suspended sentence on January 26, at the Supreme Court in Nuku'alofa.

Mumuhu Pou’uhila (18) was sentenced to three and a half years imprisonment for causing grievous bodily harm to Nelesoni Tu’itavake, when he threw a brick hitting his face causing him to go blind in the eye.

A 29-year-old man who has been convicted of raping a victim who was asleep at her home in Tongatapu last year, is in custody to be sentenced on October 24.

Tu'italakitai Afuha'amango from Kolofo'ou was sentenced to five-years for charges including forgery in relation to an application for a Tongan passport.

Paletili Afu (33) who pleaded guilty to various counts including reckless driving causing the death of a one-year-old baby boy during a collision on the road in 2016, received a two and a half-years suspended sentence, at the Supreme Court on 18 May. The judge noted with concern that it is not uncommon for passengers to be thrown from cars or trucks, during collisions of unworthy vehicles on Tonga's roads.

Four Tongan nationals, including two former civil servants who pleaded guilty to charges in a Tongan passport forgery case were all sent to Hu'atolitoli Prison on Friday, November 18 after being sentenced at the Nuku’alofa Supreme Court.

Six Georgian nationals who received two-years suspended sentence each after pleading guilty to knowingly dealing with forged documents, when they entered Tonga on stolen Greek passports in September, have each paid their $1,000 pa’anga fine to the Supreme Court and are still in the country.