Results for From the Courts

A 62-year-old repeat sexual offender was sentenced to eight-years and nine-months imprisonment for rape and other counts of carnal knowledge of a young person. He is a dangerous offender, revealed a pre-sentence sentence at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court.

Viliami Paletu’a (41) was sentenced to two-years and two-months imprisonment for possession of 3.16 grams of methamphetamine, at 'Umusi in 2020. He admitted to being a substance abuser. The court noted that at the time of the offending, the statutory maximum penalty for possession of methamphetamine was a fine of $1 million or 30-years' imprisonment or both.

Matini Poafa (18) received a suspended prison sentence for causing serious bodily harm to another student whom he punched, fracturing his lower jaw, while he was asleep in a bus last year.

'Alovili Kolo (47) was sentenced to five-years 10-months imprisonment for raping a woman in Tongatapu in 2018.

‘Amusia Mateni (42) was sentenced today to 3 years and six months imprisonment for possession of 8.08 grams of methamphetamine and interfering with evidence that was seized during an altercation with a police officer on a road in Ngele'ia. The judge noted that in the accused’s current state of involvement with methamphetamines with its resultant delusional dishonesty ...“his wife and children may be better off without him.”

Kaati Luka (22) who beat up his 40-year-old partner leaving her with facial injuries that resulted in her admission to the surgical ward at Vaiola Hospital, was sentenced to one-year eight-months imprisonment.

Siolosi Hu’akau (21) who was convicted of dangerous driving causing the death of a woman on the road in Talafo’ou, was sentenced to three-years imprisonment. He suffers from physical and mental handicaps and it was extremely regrettable that he was even allowed to drive a vehicle in the first place, said the Lord Chief Justice today.

Manavahetau Fua’eiki (42) who was convicted of possession of methamphatamine was sentenced to one-year nine-months imprisonment, which was fully suspended on conditions at the Supreme Court in Nuku’alofa.

Lilieta Tu’itupou (30) who assaulted her 54-year-old mother with a machete remains jailed for three-months, after appealing against her sentence to the Supreme Court in Nuku'alofa. The judge said, this was a very sad case involving an adult daughter assaulting her mother.