The Governor of Ha'apai, Viliami Manuopangai Hingano (46) was today fined $12,500 pa’anga for unlawful possession of 198kg of turtle meat seized at Queen Salote Wharf in 2020. A Supreme Court judge said the accused tried to hide the fact that he was a party to the proposed commercial sale of the uncertified meat of the endangered species. He denounced his offending: “You appear to think that you did not do anything wrong, that you were quite innocent. I want to assure you, that what you did wrong was that you failed to ask ...you ought to have refused to have possession of the turtle meat!"
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Results for turtle meat
Wednesday 19 May 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
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Wednesday 17 March 2021
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Nuku'alofa,Tonga
The recently appointed Governor of Ha’apai, Viliami Manuopangai Hingano (46) was found guilty today of unlawful possession of 198kg of turtle meat, confiscated in a cargo onboard the MV 'Otuanga'ofa ferry last year. The Supreme Court judge did not believe the former Member of Parliament’s evidence that he did not know the requirement of the law. “Ignorance of the law is not a defence to any offence.”
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