Results for From the Courts

The Chief Justice has ordered that the defunct Tonga Weekly Newspaper Ltd. be restored to the Register of Companies, in the latest twist of a defamation suit brought against the government-owned newspaper by Mele 'Amanaki in 2014.

'Iasinito Mataele Toke (38) pleaded guilty at the Supreme Court to serious fraudulent conversion of $39,596 pa'anga from his employer Pacific Energy Ltd. He will be sentenced on September 11.

The case against Viliami Malolo Talivakaola (44) who is charged with the importation of prohibited firearms and ammunition, allegedly smuggled through in a shipment from the United States, was heard this week at the Supreme Court.

Afuafu 'Uhatafe (52) was jailed for three-years for obtaining $32,825 pa’anga by false pretence from 104 people, she had falsely recruited in a work scam to Australia.

‘Anisi Kulufeinga Bloomfield, a former CEO of the Ministry of Revenue and Customs, who is to be extradited to Fiji to be tried for theft and dishonesty allegedly committed between 2011-14, remains on bail in Tonga.

The Land Court ordered the registration of a tax allotment in 'Utulau to a plaintiff in a land dispute. The plaintiff went to the court when he discovered that the same lot he had applied for was granted to another person, in the estate of Tupouto'a.

A man was sentenced at the Supreme Court to two-years imprisonment for serious indecent assault committed on a young girl in Tongatapu. The judge suppressed information that might reveal the victim's identity.

A husband and wife who pleaded guilty to possession of methamphatamine were sentenced at the Supreme Court on July 20. One received a suspended sentence, while the other was placed on a good behaviour bond. The Chief Justice warned if they continued to live a lifestyle or associate with others that might tempt them to use drugs again, they should “just look at their children and think what it would be to lose them.”

Siliako Matangi To’aho was sentenced at the Supreme Court to three-years imprisonment for serious bodily harm, when he fractured the bone on his wife's hand with a hammer. The repeat offender has anger management issues.