Viliami Tukumoe’atu (28) is serving one year imprisonment for reckless driving under the influence of alcohol, causing the death of his father in Makaunga in January this year. The accused was driving at up to 140 kilometres per hour, when he struck an oncoming vehicle, lost control and crashed into an electric pole. “In passing sentence, you do not need me to tell you what this tragedy has unfolded,” the Lord Chief Justice said in passing sentence.
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Results for Lord Chief Justice Bishop
Monday 11 August 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
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Monday 4 August 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Saione Funaki (19) received a suspended sentence for common assault when he punched a 16 year old on the mouth, causing him to loose consciousness, when he was walking back to Nukuleka, after a social gathering in Makaunga on eastern Tongatapu.
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Monday 28 July 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
An arsonist, Taniela Matangi (38) will serve seven years imprisonment, for serious housebreaking and stealing tapa and mats from a church minister's home in Longolongo. The charges included serious arson after he set fire to a bedroom at the home. Three others were jailed for receiving the stolen property.
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Tuesday 22 July 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Sione Kei’aloha Langi (31) and Viliami Pongi (42) were jailed for charges including serious housebreaking and theft of goods worth $20,440 from a business in Veitongo.
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Thursday 10 July 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Two men and one woman were jailed for possession of 20.92 grams and 13.52 grams of methamphetamine seized in a police raid outside a restaurant in Houma. In sentencing the trio at the Supreme Court in Nuku'alofa, Lord Chief Justice Bishop said Methamphetamine is a serious scourge in Tonga. “Considering the current increase of illicit drugs in the community, deterrence and with it punishment, is of greater priority than rehabilitation.”
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Thursday 12 June 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Seteone Mu’asika (26) is serving six months imprisonment for causing serious bodily harm, when he struck a 17 year old on the back with a machete, in an alcohol-fuelled attack at Lapaha in July last year. A co-accused, who escaped, has not been caught by Police. The Chief Justice said the Court must do all it can to stamp out the increasing use of machetes during disagreements.
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Monday 19 May 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Motekiai Taufahema (48) was jailed for three years after being found guilty of two offences that included causing serious bodily harm, when he threw a machete injuring a man in a confrontation outside his home in Navutoka. Police also found drugs utensils inside the home. The Lord Chief Justice stated that this incident was entirely of the defendant’s own making. He has a record for serious violence.
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Monday 19 May 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Pesanimo Lolohea is serving one year in prison for causing serious bodily harm to another man in an act of violence using a gun and then a spade.
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Sione Ngaue and Salesi Fa’aoa were sentenced to imprisonment for charges that included theft and receiving stolen timber valued at $35,572 from a builder’s warehouse. Their co-accused, Steve Koloamatangi received a suspended sentence.
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Friday 16 May 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Irvin Fukofuka (30) will be sentenced in June on two charges of possession of 13.52 grams of methamphetamine and utensils seized in a drug deal raided by Police in Houma in May last year.
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Monday 14 April 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Kulisitafu Fehoko (32) is serving eight months in prison for two charges that included possession of 1.28 grams of methamphetamine and utensils siezed in his vehicle, when he was intercepted by Police in Vaololoa last year.
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Saturday 5 April 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Salesi Fa’aoa (33) was found guilty of receiving stolen timber valued at around $35,572 from T Construction Company, in a judgement in the Supreme Court in Nuku’alofa, on 26 March. Two co-accused also pleaded guilty. Lord Chief Justice Bishop also ordered a police inquiry into Fa’aoa's allegations of police misconduct.
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Tuesday 25 March 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Viliami Tino Ma’u (28) is serving 16 months imprisonment for serious housebreaking and theft of goods worth $1,848 from a store in Ma’ufanga last year.
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Tuesday 25 March 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A 60-year-old shop owner, Qiwu Huang, will be sentenced next month for receiving stolen property, including iPhones valued up to $14,000 pa‘anga,
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Monday 24 March 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Sione Fifita (20), received a suspended 12-month prison sentence for reckless driving that caused grievous bodily harm to a 21-year-old man. He was sentenced on March 11, in the Supreme Court in Nuku’alofa, with the judge considering his young age and first-time offender status.
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Monday 24 March 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Simaima Vaha’i (33) was sentenced to 12 months probation for stealing a mobile phone worth $715.84 from her employer, Digicel Tonga in Vava’u. Initially pleading not guilty to a larger theft charge, she later changed her plea to guilty for the theft of a Samsung Galaxy A34, leading to the discharge of the first count against her.
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Wednesday 19 March 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
‘Isapela Saiatua Tu’akoi faces four forgery charges, while the Supreme Court in Nuku’alofa on 13 March dismissed four other counts of making a false declaration for obtaining a Tongan passport. The defendant allegedly signed forms to obtain passports for several applicants, including Shiwei Hu in October 2012.
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Friday 14 March 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Lesieli Namoa as a judgment debtor in a civil case brought by Siosaia Moehau was found to have assets including a lease of Loumaile Lodge, funds of $160,000 pa'anga and Sakura Company Ltd.. While Namoa claimed that she did not have a bank account, the judge noted that her income “is clouded in mystery” and it may be a device to avoid her assets and money being traced.
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Tuesday 11 March 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Pauline Langi aka Pauline Faka’osi (32) is serving 20 months imprisonment for the theft and embezzlement of $155,588 from her employer, STH Ltd a car dealer business. The offences were committed over different times when she withdrew the cash from the company's bank account. The court considered that she had a high-risk of re-offending.
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Thursday 30 January 2025
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Leave to set aside a $20 million damages “judgement in default” was granted by the Lord Chief Justice for the National Reserve Bank of Tonga, its Governor and the news media whistle blowers. The current dispute is part of the ongoing litigation between the Tonga Development Bank and the National Reserve Bank of Tonga.
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