Results for From the Courts

The Land Court of Tonga this morning declared Tupou Tongaliuaki Filo'aulo Aleamotu'a (24) as the lawful holder of the hereditary title Fielakepa, and that his uncle's appointment as a trustee of the Fielakepa estate was null and void, and also that the publication in the Gazette of the defendant's name as holder of the title Fielakepa was made in error.

A trial to hear an election petition filed against the Minister of Tourism and Vava’u No.16 People’s Representative to Parliament Hon ‘Etuate Lavulavu which was to continue today was further adjourned to Tuesday, 1 December in Neiafu.

A trial to hear an election petition filed against the Minister of Infrastructure and Vava’u No.16 People’s Representative to Parliament Hon 'Etuate Lavulavu started on Wednesday, 25 November only to be adjourned to Monday, 30 November in Neiafu.

A trial to hear an election petition against Hon ‘Etuate Lavulavu for alleged corruption during his election campaign last year will go ahead on 25 November, after the Chief Justice dismissed two applications by Lavulavu, made on 13 November, for the trial to be adjourned. The Chief Justice stated "This court must...ensure the just but efficient and speedy hearing of an electoral petition and to discourage frivolous applications which have been the intention or effect of delaying the hearing."

Lord Fielakepa told the Nuku’alofa Supreme Court yesterday that he was simply following decisions made by King Tupou VI and that his appointment as a trustee of the title, and later as title holder of the estate, was something he never asked for.

A 20-year-old man has been charged with the rape of a 26-year-old woman, which allegedly occured on Friday, 13 November at Fangaloto in Tongatapu.

Commercial retailing of Tonga's Rugby Union and World Cup apparel caused an argument between two Nuku'alofa traders that ended up in the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court - when one tried to stop the other from importing and selling apparel. However, Chief Justice Paulsen has discharged an initial order restraining a local broker from selling apparel that had the Tonga Rugby Union logo, Kukri brand name or IRB mark printed on it, and said the plaintiff's case was not strong.

Two stepbrothers who made a “brutal and ruthless” attack on a market gardener at Longolongo last year, were each sentenced to seven-years nine-months imprisonment. Mr Justice Cato said the sentence "must reflect the need to protect the public from this kind of offending."

An application by Hon. ‘Etuate Lavulavu to add a counterclaim against Viliami Uasike Latu was dismissed by Lord Chief Justice O. G. Paulsen in the Nuku‘alofa Supreme Court on 16 October. The Chief Justice stated that Lavulavu's counterclaim was "both irrelevant and useless".