Results for Lord Chief Justice Whitten

Temipale Tatafu (36) was sentenced to 30-months imprisonment for serious housebreaking, theft and serious wilful damage of goods valued over $10,000 pa’anga of another man at Fangaloto in 2022.

Siosifa Vailima Tuita (52) was sentenced to 12-years imprisonment for manslaughter of his twin sister in Falaleu, Vava'u, last year. During sentencing today, Lord Chief Justice Whitten KC said the accused stabbed his sister multiple times with a knife, “in what can only be characterised as a heinous and tragic crime of extreme brutality.”

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.

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.

Mele Teusiva ‘Amanaki was awarded $50,000 in damages by the Supreme Court, after winning a long and winding defamation lawsuit against Tonga Weekly newspaper and its former editor Faka'osi Maama, who published articles and a photograph on three occasions back in 2014. The Lord Chief Justice had no hesitation in finding that both defendants were actuated by malice.

Kalolaine Fainga’a (30) was sentenced to two-years imprisonment for serious housebreaking and theft of electronic goods valued at around $12,095 pa’anga. A stolen iPad was tracked by GPS to a home in Tokomololo and then Police recovered all the other stolen electronic equipment from a shop. A co-accused was charged with receiving stolen property.

Petelo Mo’unga (25) was sentenced to four and a half years imprisonment for possession of 26.98 grams of cocaine and 0.07 grams of methamphetamine.

The election of Sione Sangster Saulala as the Tongatapu No. 7 People’s Representative to the Legislative Assembly has been declared void by the Lord Chief Justice, who this morning found that he committed bribery on two occasions, during the November 2021 General Election campaign. After his election Saulala was appointed as the current Minister for Internal Affairs. The Lord Chief Justice said Mr Saulala was an unimpressive witness. By Linny Folau.

Ta‘ufo‘ou Fale‘ofa (45) was sentenced today to 20-months imprisonment for using a firearm without a license, specifically a .45 pistol, which he fired at a vehicle in Kolonga in January this year, after entering a home with a loaded firearm. The judge noted the accused had a significant criminal history both here and in the United States for violence involving firearms.