The election of Sione Sangster Saulala as the Tongatapu No. 7 People’s Representative to the Legislative Assembly has been declared void by the Lord Chief Justice, who this morning found that he committed bribery on two occasions, during the November 2021 General Election campaign. After his election Saulala was appointed as the current Minister for Internal Affairs. The Lord Chief Justice said Mr Saulala was an unimpressive witness. By Linny Folau.
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Results for From the Courts
Monday 2 May 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
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Friday 29 April 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The election of Dr Pohiva Tu’i'onetoa as the Tongatapu No.10 People’s Representative to the Legislative Assembly has been declared void by a Supreme Court judge, who this afternoon found that the former Prime Minister committed the offence of bribery on one occasion, in the lead up to the November 2021 General Election.
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Wednesday 27 April 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Fili Langi Ta’ai (59) was found not guilty of engaging in dealing with others to possess methamphetamine, after the Prosecution failed to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt at the Supreme Court in Nuku'alofa. The judge said the case was badly damaged.
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Wednesday 27 April 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
An 80-year-old man was sentenced to six-months imprisonment for one count of indecent assault of a young girl under the age of 12. This was fully suspended.
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Wednesday 27 April 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A 68-year-old man was sentenced to three-years imprisonment for three counts of serious indecent assault committed on a minor in 2021. The judge said young girls must be protected from sexual assaults and indecencies. He ordered that there should be no publication of any particulars relating to the victim, whereby her name or identity may be revealed.
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Wednesday 27 April 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
'Alamoni Makafilia Ika who is currently serving a 16-years prison sentence for various serious offences, including the shooting at the Veitongo petrol station and armed robberies, was sentenced to 11-months for a 2007 offence.
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Wednesday 27 April 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Siaosi Faingata’a (24) of Navutoka was fined by the Court $500 for fishing in the Manuka Special Management Area, in a neighbouring village where he was not a resident, in the eastern district of Tongatapu.
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Wednesday 27 April 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Three youths aged 19, 21 and 22 years have been sentenced to imprisonment by the Supreme Court in Nuku'alofa for raping a young woman in 2020.
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Friday 22 April 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tupou Tafuna (39) was acquitted on four counts that included possession of 6.78 grams of methamphetamine and permitting the use of his house in Sopu for drug dealing, after it was not proven beyond reasonable doubt at the Supreme Court.
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Thursday 21 April 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Pita Vakalahi (28) will be sentenced on 1 June, after he was found guilty of demanding a bribe of $640 pa'anga from a driver in a traffic offence case he worked on in 2019.
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Thursday 21 April 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
‘Alaki Fonua Tupou (56) was sentenced to 18-months imprisonment for causing seriously bodily harm, when he punched a man on the mouth smashing five of his teeth at a rugby match in Kelana, Vava'u. The sentence was fully suspended on conditions.
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Wednesday 20 April 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
An election petition filed against Tongatapu No. 2 People’s Representative to Parliament, Dr ‘Uhilamoelangi Fasi, for alleged bribery, during the 2021 General Election campaign was dismissed by the Supreme Court. The petition was filed by a rival candidate Semisi Sika, who has been ordered by the court to pay the Dr Fasi's costs of the proceedings.
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Friday 18 March 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Ernie Fotu (43) received a suspended sentence for possession of 15.54 grams of cannabis at the Magistrate Court.
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Monday 14 March 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A High Court of New Zealand judgment against a former Governor of Vava'u, Lord Fulivai and his wife Lady Helen Fulivai to pay NZD$253,370 to a creditor has been registered with the Supreme Court of Tonga, under a ruling on March 8 by Lord Chief Justice Whitten.
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Thursday 10 March 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Timote ‘Aho’atu (44) was sentenced to two-years nine-months imprisonment for causing grievous bodily harm to Siaosi Na'a, whom he shot with a pistol in 2021. The judge said the law required the accused to complain to the police if he felt that the victim had unfairly and unlawfully done him wrong. "That law stops you and prohibits you from punishing or killing that person who has wronged you.”
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Friday 4 March 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Two women, including a 41-year-old police officer, were found guilty on a joint charge of advertising a pyramid scheme, where people who invested money did not receive the return promised. They will be sentenced on May 3 at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court.
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Friday 4 March 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A 38-year-old man was acquitted on two charges of serious indecent assault on a teenager committed in Tongatapu in 2021. The judge did not believe the evidence of the complainant.
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Monday 21 February 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Kotoni Tafolo (17) was acquitted of possessing 0.21 grams of methamphetamine due to insufficient evidence, at the Supreme Court in Nuku'alofa.
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Tuesday 1 February 2022
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Nuku’alofa, Tonga
Motesio Vaioleti (33), who knew he was driving with faulty brakes with his children in the vehicle, and crashed into another vehicle, was fined $300 pa’anga. Mr Justice Niu “This offence is serious,” said the Judge who recommended that the Legislature heavier penalties be legislated for this offence, because there are many vehicles on the road, “we should not wait until a life is lost,” he said.
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Monday 31 January 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tulapa Samoa Pese (38) was sentenced to three-years imprisonment for causing serious bodily harm to a 22-year-old man with a machete at Lapaha. The judge found that the defendant carefully calculated and planned his attack. The way he carried out the attack was chilling, they ambushed the victim. “This is not only brutal; it is a cowardly behaviour to attack an unarmed person,” he said at the sentencing.
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