Results for Nuku'alofa Supreme Court

Siosifa Tenefufu (56) was fined $500 pa’anga, to be paid within six months, for the possession of arms and ammunition without a license that included a shotgun and rifle at his home in Lakepa.

A man who was selling methamphetamine and cannabis from a car in Vaini, Harris Satini (48), was convicted on charges relating to the possession of illicit drugs. Two others were convicted on charges relating to possession of illicit drugs.

Eight young men were found guilty on charges relating to a brawl in central Nuku’alofa between two opposing groups from Ha‘ateiho and Paho last year. The charges included jointly causing grievous bodily harm to a victim from Pahu, who suffered life-endangering injuries. Seven of the accused punched and kicked the victim’s head, while another repeatedly hit the victim’s head with a sii branch, causing brain injury. The victim, died shortly afterwards.

Paula Fifita (20) was sentenced to two years imprisonment fully suspended for two counts of theft that included two motor cars, with the second offence committed while on bail for the first car theft. The judge said that the root cause of the offending was the misuse of alcohol.

Tevita Halatokoua (26) was sentenced to two years imprisonment, with part suspended, for possession of over 2.77 grams of methamphetamine seized in over 20 packets and other items used for dealing drugs in Nuku’alofa.

Viliami Kioa (43) of Sopu caused serious bodily harm to a woman who was cleaning a neighbour's property, when he assaulted her with a 4ft long aluminium pipe during a verbal altercation, which was witnessed by the victim's young daughter and another woman.

Ma’ake Kali will be re-tried at the Magistrates Court for the theft of an engine valued at $7,000, from a boat anchored on the shore of Tatakamotonga, in a successful appeal by the Crown to the Supreme Court in Nuku’alofa, after the accused had been earlier acquitted by a magistrate.

Matafonua Tupou (36) was sentenced to eight months imprisonment, fully suspended on conditions, for unlawful possession of drugs utensils, at Tu’atakilangi.

‘Etuate Lavulavu was fined $15,000 to be paid within four weeks, after he was found guilty of contempt of court, for the comments he made when he went on a program live-streamed on Facebook and YouTube and alleged bias against a trial judge. In sentencing him on 8 May, Acting Lord Chief Justice Tupou ordered that if the defendant failed to pay the fine within the appointed time, he shall be imprisoned for two weeks.