Eight local people in Vava’u were sentenced to between three years to 13.5 years imprisonment for their opportunistic roles in handling blocks of cocaine from a large shipment, found washed up on 'Otualea Beach there in 2021. They were caught in an investigation that started when children at Holeva picked up a brick of cocaine on the beach and handed it in to authorities.
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Results for imprisonment
Tuesday 4 April 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
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Friday 24 March 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
‘Uhila Tu’i (34) was sentenced today to 33-months imprisonment, on charges including carrying a firearm to resist arrest, when he shot at and missed a police officer during the search of a home, at Hala'ovave, Tongatapu, in 2021. The Chief Justice said the accused could have been charged with attempted murder.
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Monday 13 March 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Siaosi Helu (36) was sentenced to four-months imprisonment of possession of illicit drugs, namely of 0.47 grams of cannabis in Nuku’alofa in 2021. His co-accused Akuila 'Aho had his sentence fully suspended. 'Aho was found not guilty on a further charge after evidence from drugs testing was ruled inadmissible.
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Tuesday 7 March 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Sosefo Kanongata’a (32) was jailed for serious housebreaking and theft of over 400 perfume oils and lotions worth over $16,000 pa'anga, among other goods, from a home business in Ma’ufanga. His co-accused got suspended sentence for receiving the stolen property.
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Thursday 2 March 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Moli Tafuna (56) was jailed for charges including possession of 15.66 grams of cannabis and 0.26 grams of methamphetamine committed in 2021, on Tongatapu.
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Thursday 2 March 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Filipe Tongamoa (20) was jailed for dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm to his passenger, who was on life support for six-days. The court heard that Tongamoa was drunk when he lost control of his vehicle and crashed on Hihifo Road in 2022. He hurt his passengers and another driver.
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Thursday 23 February 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
‘Alifeleti Uasi (20) and Niviko Maea (18) have been jailed for serious housebreaking and theft of $68,971 pa'anga from a residence at Halaleva in 2022.
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Friday 3 February 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Manavahetau Fua’eiki (43) is serving a total sentence of three-years nine-months imprisonment for two separate cases, that included charges of serious housebreaking and theft of firearms, which he committed in 2021, while he was on a suspended sentence for drug offences. This suspended sentence was activated.
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Wednesday 1 February 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A prisoner, Motuku Kafalava (25), who is serving a life imprisonment sentence for murder, was sentenced to concurrent jail time, for possession of a substantial amount of methamphetamine. His 24-year-old co-accused, Latu Veamatahau got a lengthy jail term.
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Wednesday 1 February 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Maamaloa Fangupo (28) was sentenced to two-years six-months imprisonment for serious causing bodily harm to another 28-year-old man, when he stabbed him multiple times, during a drink up in Ha’ateiho in 2022.
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Monday 30 January 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A teenager, Semisi Peleketi Vea was sentenced to three-years eight months imprisonment for causing grievous bodily harm to a 20-year-old man using a machete, in 2022.
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Wednesday 25 January 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Titali To’ia got more jail time when he was sentenced to six-years imprisonment for reckless driving causing the death of Netane Nimo at Veitongo in 2022. The judge said the defendant's offending was serious and “demonstrates a disregard for the law and for the safety of other users of the road.”
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Saturday 21 January 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Lautaimi Makafilia (31) was sentenced to four-years imprisonment for the serious housebreaking and theft of electronic goods, whose value exceeded $82,000 pa’anga, from Lord's Mobile in Nuku'alofa last year.
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Monday 12 December 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Ryan Vakaahi (29) was sentenced to three-years four-months imprisonment for causing bodily harm, when he shot another man on his thigh with a .22 rifle at 'Anana.
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Wednesday 7 December 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Koionia Latu ‘Ekuasi (32) was sentenced to three-years imprisonment for forgery and obtaining over $20,000 pa'anga by false pretences, when she misused money for her sister's wedding. Three other charges related to a separate fake car dealer business scam, where the offending was a planned financial criminal enterprise, orchestrated over a period of at least 15-months and bilked money from three separate victims.
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Monday 21 November 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Siaosi Brown (22) was sentenced to 18-months imprisonment for possession of 222.69 grams of cannabis seized at a home in Fanga.
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Wednesday 16 November 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Viliami Halalilo and Tukumo’ui Havea have been jailed for common assault when they punched and kicked a defenceless 21-year-old man in Neiafu, Vava’u.
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Wednesday 2 November 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Siuta Taufa (25) was sentenced to four-years six-months imprisonment for reckless driving causing the death of his 20-year-old male passenger at Malapo in 2021. He was driving in excessive speed, while under the influence of alcohol and drugs.
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Tuesday 25 October 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Solomone Fonokalafi (45) was sentenced to two-years eight-months imprisonment for causing serious bodily harm, when he beat his wife's hands and feet with a hammer, while tying her down at a home in Fo’ui last year. The defendant's actions were cruel and barbaric and have no place in Tongan society or its marriage norms, said the Lord Chief Justice.
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Thursday 20 October 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A prolific offender, ‘Okusitino Langi (49), who is serving a lengthy prison term for drug offences, received additional time for similar offending in prison, totalling nine-years imprisonment, after being sentenced on 14 October. The Lord Chief Justice said the circumstances of this offending were troubling. “For the defendant to have been able to possess and sell drugs in prison suggests real operational deficiencies in security within the prison.”
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