The master of an inter-island ferry, the MV Ko e Kelesi Pe, Tevita ‘Ilangana, received a suspended sentence for proceeding to sea improperly when he permitted the vessel to sail with 141 passengers (in excess of the permitted 90 passengers) from Ha’apai to Tongatapu in 2023. The judge said that overloading his ship in this way put the passengers at risk and life could have been lost. “This is a serious matter.”
You are here
Results for From the Courts
Tuesday 22 October 2024
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga

Tuesday 22 October 2024
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A captain of Tonga's inter-island domestic ferry, the MV ‘Otuanga’ofa, was found guilty of proceeding to sea improperly by taking excess passengers on the vessel and serving on the vessel knowing his Certificate of Competency had expired.

Thursday 17 October 2024
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Paula Fifita (20) was sentenced to two years imprisonment fully suspended for two counts of theft that included two motor cars, with the second offence committed while on bail for the first car theft. The judge said that the root cause of the offending was the misuse of alcohol.

Monday 14 October 2024
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
David Kent Jr Tau’alupe (35) was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm to ‘Alo’i Kei, when he stabbed him with a sharp object, causing a severe wound to his left upper abdomen, during a drink up altercation at the Laione Club in Vava’u.

Monday 7 October 2024
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Sione Talafekau Maloni (20) was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment fully suspended for causing serious bodily harm, when he poured gasoline over his sleeping friend’s clothes and set him alight, in what was said to have been “a joke”. Mercifullly, the friend suffered only superficial burns to his abdomen.

Friday 4 October 2024
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Damages amounting to over $20 million pa’anga in total were awarded to the plaintiffs, the Tonga Development Bank and its CEO 'Emeline Tuita and Board Chairman, Penisimani Vea, in a landmark "judgment in default" by made by the Lord Chief Justice Bishop on 23 September, against the Reserve Bank, its Governor, a local broadcaster and a journalist.

Tuesday 1 October 2024
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tevita Matangi was found guilty of two charges of causing grievous bodily harm to Mateaki Hafoka (29) and Sikuvea Fifita (26), when he attacked them during a drunken altercation at Talau in Vava’u in October, 2023.

Monday 30 September 2024
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A man in Tonga who received a rental car, that was allegedly stolen by his former wife in New South Wales in Australia and shipped to Tonga, was found guilty on one count each of money laundering and receiving stolen property. Siosio Malohi Vea (40) will be sentenced in November by the Supreme Court in Nuku'alofa.

Friday 27 September 2024
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Vaka Lau’i was ordered to vacate a town allotment situated at Leimatu’a, Vava‘u, known as ‘Keeni Uluakimana’, because his occupation of the land was unlawful, the Land Court ordered. Justice Tupou said the defendant could not rely on the estate holder's son's permission to occupy the land, as the son was not the estate holder.

Friday 27 September 2024
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Samiu Langa’oi (42) was jailed for four months, for the destruction of evidence, when he crushed a cannabis plant from a bucket outside his house, and unlawful possession of drugs utensil in Leimatu’a, Vava’u.

Wednesday 25 September 2024
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Bank of South Pacific was granted entitlement for immediate possession of a leased land registered in the name of Fielea Faeamani, after the defendant failed in their mortgage payments.

Wednesday 25 September 2024
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Sione Pailate was sentenced to 12-months imprisonment, fully suspended, for charges including possession of 0.88 grams of methamphetamine and drug utensils at Ha’ateiho.

Friday 20 September 2024
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Tonga Development Bank will retain its CEO and Board Chairman, for the time being, pending the resolution of a dispute at trial, in an ongoing civil action against the National Reserve Bank of Tonga. Lord Chief Justice Malcolm Bishop, in a ruling on 19 September, also ordered that Tonga Development Bank (TDB) must still refrain from engaging in any economic development activities, without the prior approval of the National Reserve Bank of Tonga.

Friday 20 September 2024
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tevita Halatokoua (26) was sentenced to two years imprisonment, with part suspended, for possession of over 2.77 grams of methamphetamine seized in over 20 packets and other items used for dealing drugs in Nuku’alofa.

Wednesday 11 September 2024
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Siosifa Fili (35) and Sila Maile (28) were jailed for various charges including possession of 1.62 grams of methamphetamine and 0.66 grams of cannabis. A co-accused received a suspended sentence.

Tuesday 10 September 2024
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Pousima Vaioleti (29) was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment, with the last four months suspended, for the theft of a vehicle and other items valued at $50,580 from a 73-year-old man with hearing impairment in his home at Vaini. "I am quite satisfied that you have conducted a life of crime. It further seems to me, that you are not very good at it,” the Lord Chief Justice told the accused at sentencing, in the Supreme Court in Nuku’alofa.

Tuesday 3 September 2024
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
British Barrister, Malcom Bishop KC, officially assumed office as the new Lord Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Tonga and President of the Land Court on 2 September 2024.

Tuesday 3 September 2024
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
'Alifeleti Uepi Latu (33) was sentenced to four years and one month imprisonment, with a part suspended, for numerous charges, which included serious housebreaking and theft of items valued at $22,750 from a house at Tofoa. The defendant was said to be an unemployed drug user who had relied on his mother's money transfers from the United States. He had previous convictions for theft, assault, domestic violence and bodily harm.

Monday 2 September 2024
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Viliami Lokotui (31) was sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment with the final six months suspended for charges that included possession of 2.69 grams of methamphetamine, at a residence in Malapo.

Thursday 22 August 2024
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Key evidence in the trial of disgraced former government Ministers, ‘Etuate and ‘Akosita Lavulavu, has been ruled inadmissible in their retrial on charges of obtaining money by false pretences, which has been constantly delayed since last year.
