Results for Lord Tu'ivakano

Nuku'alofa’s Supreme Court has thrown out a civil claim by a former Prime Minister, Lord Tu'ivakano, who was seeking $5.75 million pa'anga in damages from the Kingdom of Tonga and others, for alleged “malicious prosecution” of him on criminal charges relating to the so-called ‘Tongan Passports Scandal’. The Lord Chief Justice M. H. Whitten, in a 78-page judgment on 28 October, set out details of how the passports investigation began and listed evidence collected by the Serious Organised Transnational Crime Unit. “I find that there was no evidence of any improper purpose for the prosecution. The only purpose discernible from the evidence was the proper invocation of the criminal law,” he stated.

An appeal by Lord Tu'ivakano against his conviction is now awaiting judgment from Tonga's Court of Appeal.

An appeal by Lord Tu’ivakano against his conviction by a jury, will be heard on September 22 by Tonga’s Appeal Court in Nuku’alofa.

Tonga's former Prime Minister, Lord Tu’ivakano, will be sentenced on Friday, April 24 following his conviction on four counts, two of which relate to the issuance of Tongan passports to Chinese nationals.

The Crown has dropped six charges of bribery and money laundering against Lord Tu'ivakano, in relation to the issuance of Tongan passports to Chinese nationals. The jury trial proceeds next week on three remaining charges against the former Prime Minister.

Lord Tu’ivakano has denied offences made against him relating to the issuance of Tongan passports to Chinese nationals, when he gave evidence as the first witness for defense, on March 3.

The jury trial against Lord Tu'ivakano on offences relating to the issuance of Tongan passports continues with revelations that legal advice from the then Acting Attorney General against the issuance of Tongan passports to Chinese applicants was ignored. The court was told this was despite real concerns of criminal activity.

The jury trial against Lord Tu’ivakano who is charged with 10 counts, mostly passport related offences is continuing, in its second week at the Supreme Court, in Nuku'alofa.

Lord Tu’ivakano has pleaded not guilty to 10 charges, five of which are for acceptance of a bribe by a government servant, at the start of his jury trial, at the Supreme Court today, February 11. By Linny Folau.