Results for From the Courts

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.