Results for From the Courts

A five year long civil suit against Tongasat (Friendly Islands Satellite Communications) came to a close on Monday 24 September when the Tonga Supreme Court read out nine declarations, stating that the Tonga Government made unlawful payments of over USD $45 million to Tongasat in 2008 and 2011.

A stepfather was found guilty by a Supreme Court judge, on numerous counts that included serious indecent assault of his two young step-daughters and raping one of them, while the mother was found guilty of helping him commit several of these serious sexual offences, which took place last year in Tongatapu. Name suppression was ordered by the judge to protect the identity of the victims.

Vainikolo Selu, a serving prisoner, was sentenced to an additonal two-years 10-months imprisonment, after being convicted of possessing methamphetamine and cannabis, which he smuggled into Hu'atolitoli Prison in November last year.

Selemana Fonua who was sentenced to two-years imprisonment, after being convicted of theft and falsification of accounts, was taken straight to Hu'atolitoli Prison today, after loosing her appeal.

Prosecutions for illicit drugs in Tonga may be in jeopardy, a judge has warned, after discharging a man charged with possession of methamphetamine, due to the prosecution's failure to admit analyst evidence, at the Supreme Court in Nuku'alofa on August 29. Hon. Mr Justice Cato said new legislation is urgently required in Tonga regarding analyst evidence of drug identity or there will be serious consequences for law enforcement and the health of Tongans.

The trial of two teenage boys charged with murder in relation to the death of a Chinese couple, Mr Feng Sheng Pei and Mrs Su Jie Wen is set to run from January 7-18, 2019.

The two Tongan men arrested and charged in relation to the seizure of 58 kilograms of cocaine worth around $30 million pa’anga in street value in Ha’apai have been released on bail in Nuku’alofa.

Tu’ungafasi Polelei Falakiseni was demoted from his rank as Superintendent of Police as penalty for breach of discipline when American, Dean Jay Fletcher charged with murdering his wife escaped custody and fled on his yacht from Vava'u in September 29, 2016. The escape caused huge embarrassment for Tonga and the deceased's family is still deprived of justice, a Police Board of enquiry stated.

A search warrant carried out by police was found inadmissible and excluded from evidence to be called in an illicit drug trial at the Supreme Court in Nuku'alofa, because the search was carried out in an unlawful manner.