Results for Tonga

David Richard Jr Hoeft was placed on good behaviour for serious bodily harm, after he punched another male police recruit for allegedly indecently assaulting a female recruit in Longolongo last year.

Viliami Sima (46) received a suspended sentence for possession of 0.18 grams of methamphetamine and 16.5 grams of cannabis seized at his market stall in Ma’ufanga.

Sione Uikilifi Lapu’aho (20) from Vaini was the passenger who died early Sunday morning July 4, after a road crash at Malapo near Hu'atolitoli Prison.

Kautai Moala (38) was sentenced to five and a half-years imprisonment for possession of 19.49 grams of methamphetamine seized at Ngele'ia. The judge said he was appalled to learn that Moala was identified in the community as a supplier of drugs and used young boys from the community to run drugs for him.

A total of 5475 people have received their second dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccination as of this afternoon, July 7 in Tongatapu.

Questions in parliament this morning once again failed to win any clarity from the Prime Minister on the salaried status of his jailed Minister of Infrastructure and Tourism. No new ministers have been appointed to the portfolios held by 'Akosita Lavulavu, who started five years imprisonment on Friday July 2. It appears that the Prime Minister is not going to give her a red card. From the House by Pesi Fonua

A float parade and fun fair events were held on Monday, July 5 a public holiday in Tonga. People flocked to the Nuku'alofa waterfront to enjoy the events, after more than a year since mass gatherings, including the annual Heilala Festival were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tonga is looking to produce a seed collection and storage system to strengthen food security. Research will be carried out with support from the Japanese Government through MORDI Tonga Trust. Seeds may include local fruits and traditional medicinal plants as well as indigenous plants.

Tonga’s Declaration of a State of Emergency due to COVID-19 has been renewed from 8:00pm July 5 to 8:00pm August 2. The National COVID-19 Restrictions Directions still applies, including night-time curfews from midnight to 5:00am.