Results for From the Courts

A married man, Talanoa Fainu, aged in his 40s, a father of nine children, was convicted of raping his 20-year-old girlfriend in a car in a bush area near Houma on 15 May last year. He was remanded in custody after the ruling was made by Justice Cato of the Tonga Supreme Court on Monday 23 April.

Tongan noble and former Prime Minister, Lord Tu’ivakano had his case adjourned again to May 28, after appearing at the Fasi Magistrate’s Court today, when the evidence against him was served by the prosecution.

The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by a man Siosiua Tauelangi who was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment by the Magistrate's Court for the serious assault of a man in Pea last year. The ruling revealed that Siosiua Tauelangi is a church minister, reportedly for the LDS Church.

Paula Halapua and Siosaia Finau have pleaded not guilty to extortion as a joint enterprise after allegedly taking $40 pa'anga from a complainant who was taken to a police station for breath testing in 2013.

Two civil servants working for the Ministry of Finance and National Planning have pleaded not guilty to fraud charges, at their arraignments at the Supreme Court in Neiafu on Wednesday, April 4.

A criminal trial that was to start on April 3 in Neiafu, Vava'u, during a Supreme Court circuit has been adjourned after a man accused of indecent assault was reported to have fled Vava'u.

Armed robber, Samuela 'Alatini, who shot a woman in the leg in a 2008 robbery, was successful in his appeal, when his 18-years imprisonment sentence quashed and replaced with 12-years nine-months.

The Tokaikolo Church (Siasi Tokaikolo 'ia Kalaisi) claimed back the ownership of church buildings on a property in Kolomotu'a that was being used by a break away congregation, after winning an appeal against a 2017 Supreme Court decision, on March 26. The appeal was against Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa, Kava Fa’oliu, Sione Maile, Mo'ui Fo'ou 'ia Kalaisi Fellowship and the Minister of Lands.

Six local Tongan law practitioners received mediation training last week from Tonga’s Lord Chief Justice Owen Paulsen and from one of New Zealand’s leading mediators John Hardie. They were trained to assist people in resolving disputes quickly and inexpensively, rather than having cases go unnecessarily to court.