Results for Supreme Court

Drugs offender, Pita Talanoa will be sentenced next month on three charges including possession of 24.34 grams of methamphetamine seized at Veitongo in 2023. His female co-offender who faced one charge was found not guilty due to insufficient evidence.

Repeat offender, Sione Tu’ifua (35) from Kolofo’ou who is currently serving seven-years imprisonment for serious housebreaking, theft and arson received additional jail time for theft of a delivery truck and items at Ma’ufanga.

Samiu Mafi was ordered to serve a sentence of one-year imprisonment for drugs offences imposed by the Magistrates Court, after his appeal was dismissed when he failed to demonstrate that the ruling was wrong.

Siutaka Siua (29) was sentenced to two-years imprisonment for serious causing bodily harm when he stabbed a 20-year-old man on his thigh at Ma’ufanga.

Paea Kalisitiane (19) was sentenced to imprisonment for charges including possession of 1.29 grams of methamphetamine at a residence in Tokomololo. Her 24-year-old co-offender received a suspended sentence on a lesser charge.

A consistent drug re-offender, Sione ‘Ala (26) was sentenced two-years five-months imprisonment for possession of illicit drugs including methamphetamine, in two separate offences, involving vehicles in Nuku’alofa. 

'Akimeta Tu’utafaiva (40) was jailed for causing serious bodily harm in a drunken violent outburst at Kolofo'ou, when he injured his 20-year-old nephew, causing a permanent disability on his left index finger. The judge said that it was unclear why the full extent of the dangerous and violent outburst, apparently involving attacks on property and an attempt to injure another with the machete, was not fully indicted.

Liuaki Fainu (23) who was sentenced to two-years six-months imprisonment, for dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm to a police officer in Vava’u had his sentence fully suspended on conditions. The officer who suffered a broken leg, in December 2022, awaits bone reconstruction experts from Australia next month who will operate to re-connect his fractured femur.

Kali Malupo (57) who was convicted of grievous bodily harm, when he struck a 24-year-old man on the head using a machete at Manuka on eastern Tongatapu, was sentenced to six and a half-years imprisonment, while his two sons received a lesser jail sentence for common assault in a group attack on the victim. The judge said their attacks “revealed levels of anger and violence going far beyond...argument of self-defence.” For Kali “the clear intention was to kill Filihai Li.”