Results for From the Courts

'Afofa Ta’ai (49) was sentenced to prison for two-years six-months for falsification of accounts and embezzling $51,829 pa’anga from his employer Homegas Ltd on 5 October, at the Nuku’alofa Supreme Court.

Primary school teacher Tevita Po’ese Mahe (24) appeared at the Magistrate’s Court in Nuku’alofa on Monday, 28 September on multiple charges including indecently assaulting six young male students. The case was adjourned to October for submission to the Supreme Court.

The Appeal Court has dismissed an appeal by Hon ‘Etuate Lavulavu who was seeking trial by a jury for an election petition filed against him for alleged bribery and corrupt practices during his election campaign in November last year.

Tonga’s Court of Appeal second session will hear 12 appeals from September 7-18 at the Supreme Court in Nuku’alofa.

Tongatapu No. 4 People's Representative Mateni Tapueluelu will be called to the Supreme Court to answer a civil challenge that might result in him losing his seat. It is alleged that his candidacy was unlawful because he had an alleged outstanding debt on the date of his nomination for the General Election in 2014.

The Kele’a newspaper’s editor and publisher were sentenced to pay fines after they were found to be in contempt of court by the Chief Justice on 24 June, at the Nuku’alofa Supreme Court.

The Acting Attorney General and Director of Public Prosecutions has received evidence from the Supreme Court Registry regarding an alleged outstanding debt by People’s Representative for Tongatapu No.4, Mateni Tapueluelu on the date of his electoral candidacy registration.

The Attorney General’s office is waiting on the Supreme Court Registry to confirm evidence on whether or not the People’s Representative for Tongatapu No. 4, Mateni Tapueluelu, had an outstanding debt on the date of his electoral candidacy registration.

Sefo Kautai (58) appeared at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday 3 June charged with three counts in relation to the alleged shootings and wounding two of his relatives at a plantation in Lavengatonga, Tongatapu on 29 May.