Results for From the Courts

A contempt of court application, filed against the Ministry and Minister of Infrastructure by three contractors, was adjourned to 12 April for further consideration. This is in regards to an earlier court order that among other orders, restrained both the Ministry and Minister from terminating the contractors' contracts to supply coral and clay soil fills.

Henry Liutai (36), who was found guilty on two counts of unlawful importation of restricted goods, including a .9mm pistol and ammunition found during Customs' inspection of a crate from the United States, was fined $4000 at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court. He had no import license.

Siaosi Helu (36) was sentenced to four-months imprisonment of possession of illicit drugs, namely of 0.47 grams of cannabis in Nuku’alofa in 2021. His co-accused Akuila 'Aho had his sentence fully suspended. 'Aho was found not guilty on a further charge after evidence from drugs testing was ruled inadmissible.

Sosefo Kanongata’a (32) was jailed for serious housebreaking and theft of over 400 perfume oils and lotions worth over $16,000 pa'anga, among other goods, from a home business in Ma’ufanga. His co-accused got suspended sentence for receiving the stolen property.

Filipe Tongamoa (20) was jailed for dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm to his passenger, who was on life support for six-days. The court heard that Tongamoa was drunk when he lost control of his vehicle and crashed on Hihifo Road in 2022. He hurt his passengers and another driver.

Raj Kumar was found guilty of attempting to knowingly destroy suspected illicit drugs, capable of being used as evidence in the commission of an offence, in a drug bust on the road in 2021.

Fisi’ifiusati Naufahu (26) who pleaded guilty to reckless driving, when he crashed his vehicle into a fence and tree at Tatakamotonga on eastern Tongatapu, was fined $200 pa’anga, at the Fasi Magistrate's Court.

Manavahetau Fua’eiki (43) is serving a total sentence of three-years nine-months imprisonment for two separate cases, that included charges of serious housebreaking and theft of firearms, which he committed in 2021, while he was on a suspended sentence for drug offences. This suspended sentence was activated.

A prisoner, Motuku Kafalava (25), who is serving a life imprisonment sentence for murder, was sentenced to concurrent jail time, for possession of a substantial amount of methamphetamine. His 24-year-old co-accused, Latu Veamatahau got a lengthy jail term.