Results for From the Courts

Seteone Mu’asika (26) is serving six months imprisonment for causing serious bodily harm, when he struck a 17 year old on the back with a machete, in an alcohol-fuelled attack at Lapaha in July last year. A co-accused, who escaped, has not been caught by Police. The Chief Justice said the Court must do all it can to stamp out the increasing use of machetes during disagreements.

Toni ‘Alatini (23) is serving 15 months in prison for striking Sosefo Taufa with a machete on his left arm, resulting in serious injuries in an unprovoked attack in Veitongo.

A drugs offender, Isaiah Takau lost his appeal against his prison sentence for possession of 11.94 grams of methamphetamine and cultivation of 36.67 grams of cannabis.

A fraudulent online car dealer, Filimone To‘aho, who was found guilty of eight charges of receiving a total of $243,486 by false pretences in a scam on Facebook, had his appeal against his conviction dismissed by the Appeal Court.

A cross-appeal by former government Ministers, ‘Etuate and ‘Akosita Lavulavu, challenging a Supreme Court judge's ruling that the Audit Office did not unlawfully uplift documents from the 'Unuaki 'o Tonga Royal Institute, was dismissed by the Appeal Court last week, in the latest of a long winding legal battle, which has resulted in the constant delay of their re-trial.

Pesanimo Lolohea is serving one year in prison for causing serious bodily harm to another man in an act of violence using a gun and then a spade.

Solomone Kauvaka (29) is serving 18 months imprisonment for two charges of common assault and serious causing bodily harm to a six year old boy, when he threw him against a wall injuring his head, in what the judge said was “an inexcusable cruel and brutal attack on a defenceless vulnerable child,” in July last year.

Afimeimo’unga Hola, who assaulted two rugby officials at a rugby game, where his team was losing, was sentenced to two years six months imprisonment, which was fully suspended. “What you did in a burst of temper has thrown away all the good work that you had been doing and the confidence and trust which others placed on you," the Lord Chief Justice Bishop said in sentencing him on 2 May in the Supreme Court, Nuku’alofa.

Siupeli Koula Laula (22) received a fully suspended 19-month prison sentence for causing bodily injury while driving under the influence of alcohol. Laula crashed into another vehicle, injuring the driver, Vili Haumatakali, who sustained a broken bone in his thigh. Justice Tupou handed down the sentence on 7 May in the Supreme Court, Nuku’alofa, following Laula's guilty plea in March.