Results for Nuku'alofa Supreme Court

A suspended Tonga Police officer ‘Isitolo Sakopo (30) and Kaniteli Guttenbeil (32) were each sentenced to one-year 10-months imprisonment for possession of methamphetamine.

A 19-year-old was sentenced on August 24 to four and a half-years imprisonment for serious sexual offences, including sodomy and serious indecent assault as well as housebreaking. The Lord Chief Justice directed the identity of the two victims must not be published in Tonga.

Sosefo, aka Sione Poteki, who was driving around Tongatapu armed with a gun, while in possession of illicit drugs for sale was sentenced to three-years seven-months imprisonment.

Paea Fainga’a was acquitted on two counts of serious housebreaking and theft of a car in 2019 by Hon. Mr Justice Cooper in a ruling this month, after he found the evidence of the complainant, Siaosi Vete, unconvincing.

Tipiloma Funaki (52) from Fua’amotu has been jailed for possession of 0.25 grams of methamphetamine and 108.33 grams of cannabis, seized at a house in Hauloto.

Siosaia Tu Maile (20) was sentenced yesterday to eight-years imprisonment for the manslaughter death of Ned Cook (67), the Salvation Army Team Leader in Nuku'alofa in 2020, who was punched in the face when he was walking home from an evening out. "In that split second of senseless brutality, one life was ended and the liberty of another must now be severely curtailed," said the Chief Justice. He noted that in Tonga, some in the community tend to resort to violence to address any annoyance, no matter how small. “This case must serve to deter others from such behaviour, which will be met with severe sentences from the Courts.”

‘Epuefi Laimani who is currently serving five-years imprisonment for possession of illicit drugs, including 5.15 grams of methamphetamine, and bribery of a police officer was denied an application to appeal against his conviction, at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court. However, he was granted leave to appeal his sentence.

Wesley Fifita (29) who was convicted for possession of 0.04 gram of methamphetamine and 0.66 gram of cannabis at his house in Pili, received a suspended sentence. He must however, live with his parents, ordered a Supreme Court judge.

‘Opeti Fekau (38) was today sentenced to three-years four months imprisonment for possession of 21.24 grams of methamphetamine, seized at his home in Havelu. The judge found that the amount involved was clearly for the purpose of supply.