‘Akosita Lavulavu’s application to the courts for leave to appeal against a ruling by Acting Justice Langi, was refused in Nuku’alofa. Justice Randerson stated he had no hesitation in concluding that this appeal had no merit. There was nothing to suggest the judge will not deal with the case fairly, objectively and in accordance with her judicial oath, he said.
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Results for From the Courts
Thursday 2 November 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga

Thursday 2 November 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Habitual property offender, Siaosi ‘Ulukivaiola (25) a prisoner, got more jail time for breaking into the Ministry of Revenue office and stealing laptops and other property worth $34,650. His two co-offenders who received the stolen property were also sentenced to jail, with one sentence suspended.

Tuesday 31 October 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Mo’unga Koluse (45) was sentenced to six-months imprisonment fully suspended for reckless driving causing harm to a man, after he ran over his foot with a police vehicle, when he responded to an incident at Kelana rugby field in Vava’u.

Tuesday 31 October 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Kelikupa Maile (37) was sentenced to two-years six-months imprisonment for convictions on numerous charges, including serious housebreaking and theft of goods valued at $11,523 pa’anga from a house at Kahana Lagoon in Halaleva.

Tuesday 24 October 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Kali Malupo (57) who was convicted of grievous bodily harm, when he struck a 24-year-old man on the head using a machete at Manuka on eastern Tongatapu, was sentenced to six and a half-years imprisonment, while his two sons received a lesser jail sentence for common assault in a group attack on the victim. The judge said their attacks “revealed levels of anger and violence going far beyond...argument of self-defence.” For Kali “the clear intention was to kill Filihai Li.”

Thursday 19 October 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
An application by ‘Akosita Lavulavu, supported by her husband ‘Etuate, for Acting Justice Langi to recuse herself from presiding over their re-trial later this month, was refused in a ruling on 18 October, at the Supreme Court in Nuku’alofa.

Thursday 19 October 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The re-trial of multiple charges against former government ministers, ‘Etuate and ‘Akosita Lavulavu, is adjourned to start on 30 October, after Acting Justice Langi rejected a proposal that it be deferred to early 2024, at the Supreme Court in Nuku’alofa, citing various reasons for urgency to proceed.

Monday 16 October 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Seinivunga Lafo’ou (30) was sentenced to 20-months imprisonment, partially suspended, for forgery and theft of around $34,000 from her employer, National Rugby League Tonga, taken from a bank account in 46 systematic unauthorised withdrawals over 13-months. She tried to frame her co-worker for the theft. The funds stolen were a grant from the Government of Australia for the development of NRL in Tonga.

Monday 16 October 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Malakai Fonua (25) was sentenced to 22-months imprisonment with the final 10-months suspended on conditions for charges of possession of illicit drugs, including 1.74 grams of methamphetamine.

Thursday 12 October 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
‘Uhila Tu’i (33), who is currently serving a prison term for firearm offences, was further sentenced to four and a half-years imprisonment for drug charges that included possession of 33.97 grams of methamphetamine seized in his van at Hala’ovave.

Friday 6 October 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Fokikovi Lauaki (28) was jailed for stealing $144,660 from Luna'eva Enterprises Limited in 2022. She diverted the company's funds into her own bank account and another bank account. “That she did this after being dismissed shows a particularly brazen character and one determined to cheat,” said the judge.

Friday 6 October 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Mele ‘Amanaki's appeal was allowed in that conviction imposed by the Supreme Court quashed in regards to failing to file her statement of election expenses, when she ran in the 2021 General Election. She was discharged without conviction.

Friday 6 October 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
An appeal by the Crown against a three-year fully suspended sentence imposed on Kapeni Tamo’ua on charges, including possession of 3kgs of cocaine in the Vava’u haul was dismissed by the Court of Appeal in Nuku’alofa.

Thursday 5 October 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
‘Etuate Lavulavu, whose appeal was dismissed by the Court of Appeal today in Nuku’alofa, will stand a re-trial with his wife ‘Akosita this month, at the Supreme Court.

Thursday 5 October 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Andrew Motuliki (28) was sentenced to seven and a half-years imprisonment for supplying cocaine that washed up on beaches in Vava’u in 2021. The court heard that he played a significant role, when he involved others for reward, as he had some understanding of the scale of the operation.

Thursday 5 October 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Pita Fanua (48) was sentenced to five-years imprisonment for causing grievous bodily harm when he struck another man on the face with a fishing torch causing permanent blindness to his left eye, in a family incident in Ha’apai in 2020.

Friday 29 September 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Siaosi Havea (28) was sentenced to three-years five-months imprisonment for serious housebreaking and the theft of goods valued at $10,118 pa’anga from a shop at Poutaha. ““It is quite obvious from the defendant’s previous convictions that he is a habitual property offender and is a high risk of re-offending,” said the judge.

Friday 29 September 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Folauola Kamoto was sentenced to 34-months imprisonment with the final-18-months suspended on conditions for various drug offences that included possession of 2.35 grams of methamphetamine. Her husband Koloa Kamoto was sentenced to 12-months imprisonment.

Tuesday 26 September 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A new Judge of the Court of Appeal of Tonga, Hon. Justice Jean Hazel Dalton, took her oath before Cabinet Ministers, on 25 September, at St George Government Building, Nuku’alofa.

Tuesday 26 September 2023
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Fakanonoa Fonua (42) of Fo’ui was sentenced to two-years five-months imprisonment (29-months) for serious fraudulent conversion of fuel valued at $27,493.87, from a petrol station in Kolomotu’a. “...he shows no remorse, rather the will to continue to cheat those around him whenever he can,” said the judge, who declined to suspend any part of his sentence.
