Results for Supreme Court

The case against Viliami Malolo Talivakaola (44) who is charged with the importation of prohibited firearms and ammunition, allegedly smuggled through in a shipment from the United States, was heard this week at the Supreme Court.

‘Anisi Kulufeinga Bloomfield, a former CEO of the Ministry of Revenue and Customs, who is to be extradited to Fiji to be tried for theft and dishonesty allegedly committed between 2011-14, remains on bail in Tonga.

A man was sentenced at the Supreme Court to two-years imprisonment for serious indecent assault committed on a young girl in Tongatapu. The judge suppressed information that might reveal the victim's identity.

Mele Finau Finefeuiaki Penitani (27) was sentenced to two-years four-months imprisonment for the theft $66,500 pa’anga from customers at the ANZ Bank.

Filomila Kaufusi (28) who pleaded guilty to cultivating 17 cannabis plants at a tax allotment at Hauloto in Tongatapu, received a suspended sentence at the Supreme Court, on July 17.

A decision by a Magistrate to acquit a police officer on a theft charge, due to insufficient evidence, was upheld by the Lord Chief Justice, on June 25 at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court. However, the Chief Justice suggested the case was an example in favour of amending the Criminal Offences Act, so that cases of unauthorised borrowing or temporary use fall within the definition of theft.

'Ileana Suliana Taulua was found not guilty on five counts of making a false declaration to obtain a Tongan passport at the Supreme Court on June 11. A sixth count of possession of a forged passport was dismissed, after the Crown led no evidence. The Chief Justice also noted that an era within this country to grant passports to non Tongan nationals for considerable sums of money had led to renewals of those passports that caused significant concern.

‘Anisi Kulufeinga Bloomfield, a former CEO of the Ministry of Revenue and Customs is to be extradited to Fiji, where he is to be tried for offences of theft and dishonesty allegedly committed between 2011-14. A warrant for his arrest was issued in the Magistrate's Court of Fiji on 27 March 2018.

The Crown has been ordered by the Lord Chief Justice to return more than $30,000 pa’anga in cash to 13 Chinese people. The cash was forfeited when they were arrested during a police raid aimed at illegal gambling in 2019.