Results for From the Courts

Former Cabinet Minister ‘Akosita Lavulavu and her husband, ‘Etuate Lavulavu, who are charged with fraud relating to a number of irregularities in an audit of the ‘Unuaki ‘o Tonga Royal Institute in 2016 were permitted to apply for judicial review of the audit.

A 39-year-old former senior loans officer who embezzled from employer, Five Star Finance in 2015 was sentenced to three-years three-months imprisonment on May 31, at the Supreme Court.

The case against three soldiers charged in the assault of a man at Vaini last year is to be called on June 17 for committal to the Supreme Court in Nuku'alofa.

Lautaimi Tu’itavake (34) from Malapo has been remanded in custody for sentencing for possession of cannabis and methamphatamine, after a one day trial on May 20 at the Supreme Court.

A 54-year-old man who is the head of community policing at Popua received a suspended sentence at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court on May 17, after pleading guilty to three charges, including firing a .22 rifle to intimidate.

A hearing on an appeal by the Crown against a ruling by a Magistrate discharging four counts against former Prime Minister Lord Tu'ivakano, namely for accepting bribes by a government servant was heard on May 17 at the Supreme Court.

Five of the 10 men arrested in a drugs operation in Hofoa during the Easter weekend were released on bail on Friday, May 10.

Tonga Broadcom Ltd. was fined $1,500 pa’anga to be paid within 60 days after being convicted of broadcasting an interview of the Deputy Prime Minister Semisi Sika on the polling day of Tonga's General Election in 2017. The judge found that the broadcast was a clear expression of support for the candidate.

'Emilio To‘a this morning changed his plea to guilty to an alternative charge of manslaughter in the death of Siaosi ‘Okusitino Tupa, who died after being stabbed multiple times with a knife during a drunken brawl at Fangaloto in March, 2018.