Results for theft

Simaima Vaha’i (33) was sentenced to 12 months probation for stealing a mobile phone worth $715.84 from her employer, Digicel Tonga in Vava’u. Initially pleading not guilty to a larger theft charge, she later changed her plea to guilty for the theft of a Samsung Galaxy A34, leading to the discharge of the first count against her.

Maka Sole Funaki (38) was jailed for nine months for the theft of a red Massey Ferguson tractor worth at $56,200 and possession of a 12 gauge shotgun and ammunition in two separate offences on Tongatapu.

Luseane Fatafehi (33) is serving one year imprisonment for false accounting and theft of $56,779 from her employer, the Heilala Vanilla Company. The judge said the theft had led to a number of financial hardships and had seen local vanilla farmers out of pocket, the Heilala Vanilla business suffering economic woes and had caused damage within the community at large.

Kalauta Angilau was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment, with part suspended, for two charges of serious wilful damage and theft of a vehicle worth $20,000, which he stole from Kolofo'ou and dismantled in Vaini.

Sosaia Vatikani (40) was jailed for serious housebreaking and theft of property, including electrical goods, worth $15,200 pa’anga, from the Nursing School at Vaiola Hospital, in Nuku'alofa - where he left a trail of fingerprints.

'Alifeleti Uepi Latu (33) was sentenced to four years and one month imprisonment, with a part suspended, for numerous charges, which included serious housebreaking and theft of items valued at $22,750 from a house at Tofoa. The defendant was said to be an unemployed drug user who had relied on his mother's money transfers from the United States. He had previous convictions for theft, assault, domestic violence and bodily harm.

Siosaia Taulahi (20) and Tevita Pasi (21) were imprisoned for serious housebreaking, theft and receiving valuable Tongan handicrafts worth around $231,700, stolen from the Tonga National Museum in 2022. Pasi was also sentenced for supplying methamphetamine to a minor. He manipulated a child to become involved in a high value theft of significant cultural artefacts and used the allure of illicit drugs to do so. It was a “deeply offensive crime”, said the judge. “The vandalism of the museum was a terrible act.” Most of the items stolen were never recovered.

A man charged with two counts that included the theft of a vehicle from the Vaiola Hospital car park was found not guilty, although there was evidence that he was a passenger in the stolen car. The Supreme Court judge stated that two of the Crown witnesses 'Miki" Taulaki and Moala 'Ikani should have instead been charged with the offences.

Sione Taulua (36) was sentenced to one-year eight-months imprisonment for the theft of items valued at $13,600 from a home that his father was looking after at ‘Alakifonua, while the owners were abroad in July last year.