‘Ana Lenilisi Tauvaka (42) received a suspended sentence in the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court today for receiving more than $10,000 pa'anga worth of stolen goods from her son, after he had stolen truckloads of goods from the warehouse of his employer, Adiloa’s Store in Nuku'alofa. The judge said the accused had no previous conviction and that her husband just died in March this year, leaving her with eight children, many of whom are still dependent on her.
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Results for From the Courts
Wednesday 10 November 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga

Tuesday 9 November 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Vailoa Kavaliku (56), a town officer of Kolofo'ou, was sentenced today to one-year imprisonment sentence for causing serious causing bodily harm, when he hit a man on the head using a piece of timber in Kolofo'ou. The sentence was fully suspended.

Chief Justice dismisses $5.75 million damages claim by Lord Tu'ivakano in ‘Tongan passports scandal’
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Nuku'alofa’s Supreme Court has thrown out a civil claim by a former Prime Minister, Lord Tu'ivakano, who was seeking $5.75 million pa'anga in damages from the Kingdom of Tonga and others, for alleged “malicious prosecution” of him on criminal charges relating to the so-called ‘Tongan Passports Scandal’. The Lord Chief Justice M. H. Whitten, in a 78-page judgment on 28 October, set out details of how the passports investigation began and listed evidence collected by the Serious Organised Transnational Crime Unit. “I find that there was no evidence of any improper purpose for the prosecution. The only purpose discernible from the evidence was the proper invocation of the criminal law,” he stated.

Friday 5 November 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Viliami Malolo Talivakaola (43) was fined for the importation without a licence of restricted goods, namely 14,928 .22 rounds of ammunition, and possession without a licence of 131 rounds of .22 ammunition, in Vava'u. Other charges relating to unlawful importation of six firearms, shipped from the United States, were dropped by the Crown.

Thursday 4 November 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Halatu’u Palei was fined $450 pa’anga or in default face one month imprisonment for unlawful importation of a .22 rifle and 1080 rounds of ammunition seized in Vava'u.

Wednesday 3 November 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A 61-year-old man was sentenced to four and a half-years imprisonment for indecently assaulting a young girl in 2019. The Court recognised that sexual offending against children is taken particularly seriously. The judge said this was a pre-meditated offence and as such meant that the defendant is dangerous.

Tuesday 2 November 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Napole Ta’ufo’ou (45) was fined for unlawful importation of restricted goods; namely a .22 rifle and 400 rounds of ammunition packed in a drum from New Zealand. Hon. Mr Justice Cooper sentenced him on October 15 at the Supreme Court in Neiafu.

Tuesday 2 November 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A man who raped and indecently assaulted his young daughter in Vava’u has been sentenced to nine and a half-years imprisonment. "The pre-sentence report makes for troubling reading," said the judge. On the day of his trial, the accused changed his pleas to guilty on both the rape and indecent assault allegations, committed some years ago.

Monday 1 November 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Kalapu Felemi (49) received a suspended sentence for serious causing bodily harm, when he used a knife to repeatedly hit and injure his younger brother, Tesimoni Felemi (38) during a drink-up at Tatakamotonga.

Monday 1 November 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Petueli Mafua he Lotu Fifita (25) was sentenced to six-years and four-months imprisonment for dangerous driving causing the death of an 81-year-old grandfather in Ta'anea, Vava'u. He was also banned from driving for two-years, effective from his release from prison.

Thursday 28 October 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Sione Moli (35) was sentenced today to three-years imprisonment for possession of 6.91 grams of methamphetamine seized by Tonga Police, after receiving information that he was selling from his home in Nukunuku. Another nine-months was added for his breach of his suspension on the previous case. A co-offender received a suspended sentence.

Thursday 28 October 2021
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Nuku'alofa Tonga
A dispute over land to determine the legal order of succession of a man who died “intestate” without a will, was heard at the Nuku’alofa Land Court on 26-27 July 2021 by Justice Niu and Assessor Tu‘ifua. Although different Taumoepeau family members had applied for it, the land had reverted to the Crown, and had been re-allocated, while the claims were not lawfully resolved. Justice Niu made orders on 4 October 2021 to cancel a deed of grant and for the Minister of Lands to hear and decide new applications in accordance with the principles of natural justice.

Wednesday 27 October 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Three young men have pleaded guilty to committing the string of armed robberies at three Chinese retail shops in Nuku'alofa. They are in police custody to be sentenced on November 22, at the Supreme Court.

Wednesday 27 October 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Siaosi Helu (36) was sentenced today to one-year imprisonment for possession 0.04 gram of methamphetamine found hidden inside his underpants, during a routine body search by Police, when arrested for public drunkenness at Fasi.

Friday 22 October 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Penisimani Angilau received a suspended sentence today for causing serious bodily harm to another man, when he hit him with a piece of timber fracturing his left hand during an argument at a petrol station at Vaini. The Supreme Court judge ruled this as a case of special circumstances because the offender was provoked when the complainant jumped into the queue at the petrol station and refused to back off.

Friday 22 October 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A claim by 'Ikani L. Taliai against the Ministry of Internal Affairs and others for breach of contract seeking a sum of $140,000 and general damages of $80,000, was dismissed by the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court.

Wednesday 20 October 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Siueli Angilau (42) received a suspended sentence today for possession of 0.55 grams of methamphetamine and cannabis weighing 267.83 grams, at Fanga. Police received information that drugs were being sold from there.

Tuesday 19 October 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Sione Tupou Tonga (24) received a suspended sentence for serious housebreaking and theft of goods worth $4,200 at a home in Fangaloto, after he had been drinking there. He robbed the house when his host fell asleep.

Monday 18 October 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
After a trial at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court, Siu ‘i Vahanoa Tu’ipulotu (48) was found guilty of serious housebreaking and robbery at a store in Ma'ufanga, where he punched the complainant several times, before stealing goods. He will be sentenced on November 18.

Friday 15 October 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
‘Okusitino Langi (47) who has an extensive criminal history, was sentenced today to six-years three-months imprisonment for possession of substantial illicit drugs, including 43.85 grams of methamphetamine at Hala’ovave. The prosecution said the amount of methamphetamine seized was substantial,
the dealer bags and other drug-related utensils and cash found indicated a commercial enterprise.
