‘Inivenesi Helu (39) is serving one-year imprisonment for causing grievous bodily harm to a 17-year-old teenager by using a machete during an altercation, in Nuku'alofa.
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Results for From the Courts
Tuesday 9 March 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
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Friday 5 March 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A case on the theft of taro leaves from a plantation in Ha'alalo was ordered to be returned to the Magistrate’s Court for a hearing, after the Supreme Court allowed an appeal, and quashed a decision of a magistrate who had dismissed it.
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Thursday 4 March 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
‘Asaeli Teulilo (32) is serving eight months imprisonment for possessing 1.3 grams of cocaine and 0.1 gram of cannabis. The Lord Chief Justice warned that harsher penalties are expected on any offences committed after November 26, 2020, involving more than 0.25 grams of a Class A drug, because they are deemed as supply.
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Wednesday 3 March 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Suspended jail sentences were imposed on Kuliti Tongamoa for supplying cocaine to ‘Epeli Taione, who was found guilty of possession. Both maintained their innocence, which was disappointing particularly in Taione's case, said the Acting Supreme Court Judge, “as this sort of behaviour is a sure recipe for re-offending.”
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Wednesday 3 March 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
‘Amusia Mateni was found guilty at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court of possessing 8.08 grams of methamphetamine during a confrontation with a police officer on a road in Ngele'ia. He tried to destroy the illicit drug by tearing the packets in his mouth and throwing it into a puddle.
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Tuesday 2 March 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A 37-year-old mother of seven who broke into a house in Nukunuku and stole Tongan koloa (mats and ta'ovala) worth $14,100, received a suspended jail sentence, at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court. She is a repeat offender, but the Judge considered that her children would be in trouble if she was imprisoned.
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Monday 1 March 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A new Supreme Court judge, Hon Justice Nicholas Cooper, from the United Kingdom, was today welcomed at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court. Lord Chief Justice Whitten QC said that, like so many countries around the world, Tonga remains in the grip of very serious challenges posed by illicit drugs and the Courts continue to play their part in endeavouring to protect all the people of Tonga.
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Friday 26 February 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Police Tactical Response Group fired a pistol at the tyres of a meth offender in car chase, the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court was told by witnesses. Pangi Puloka (47) was found guilty of possessing 4.34 grams and 2.17 grams of methamphetamine, at Mata-ki-'Eua in 2020, after he tried to run down police officers, who were standing on a road to stop him.
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Friday 26 February 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Suliana Fate (21), who was convicted of knocking-out a man with a stick while drunk, before stealing his vehicle in Ma'ufanga, received a suspended jail sentence, together with two other co-accused.
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Thursday 25 February 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga Soane was found guilty of three counts of uttering counterfeit currency at the Nuku’alofa Supreme Court. He will be sentenced on April 1. The $50 and $100 were obviously fake “the notes represented a patently amateurish attempt,” said the judge.
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Wednesday 24 February 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Sione Siueli Angilau (41) was sentenced to 12-months imprisonment for possession of 0.07 grams of methamphetamine and 9.26 grams of cannabis.
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Tuesday 23 February 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A claim by Royco Shipping Services Ltd. for $26,616 damages against Matson South Pacific Ltd., over a stevedoring agreement dispute was dismissed by Tonga's Lord Chief Justice, who ruled that during the term of agreement, it did not give Royco exclusive right to provide stevedoring services for all of Matson's vessels at the Port of Nuku'alofa.
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Monday 22 February 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Talia'uli Fatongiatau (35) was sentenced today to nine-months imprisonment for offering $235 bribe to a Tonga Police officer and possession of 0.89g of methamphatamine. He is currently serving time in Hu'atolitoli Prison.
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Friday 19 February 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Taufa Latuselu was sentenced to nine-months imprisonment, which was fully suspended for unlawful possession of illicit drugs by the Lord Chief Justice who said, had he been charged with supplying or if this offending occurred after the current amendments to the Illicit Drugs Control Act, full suspension would not have been available.
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Thursday 18 February 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Latu Selu was acquitted of charges, including possession of methamphatamine due to an unlawful search by Tonga Police, ruled a Supreme Court judge who found there was a deliberate disregard of the law.
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Wednesday 17 February 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The trial of former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Sione Vuna Fa’otusia will be held in July on charges, which related to a dispute over a stolen cow in 2019.
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Thursday 11 February 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Four men were found guilty at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court on numerous charges of possessing methamphetamine and cannabis at a home in Hofoa, where drug dealing was conducted. They will be sentenced on a later date.
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Wednesday 10 February 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The forgery trial against a current Cabinet Minister and People’s Representative to Parliament ‘Akosita Lavulavu, and her husband, a former Cabinet Minister, ‘Etuate is now expected to start in April.
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Wednesday 10 February 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Sione Vasi (35) was sentenced to one year six-months imprisonment, which was fully suspended for possessing 2.8 grams of methamphatamine in 'Utulau.
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Tuesday 9 February 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Heamani Saafi (66) was sentenced to two-years and six-months imprisonment for cultivation of three cannabis plants at his home in Ha'asini. The illicit drug weighed 59.18 grams. Justice Langi suspended the sentence in full on February 4, at the Nuku’alofa Supreme Court.
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