Results for Police and Crime

Five men are detained in Hu’atolitoli Prison, accused of kidnapping a father and son in Nuku’alofa on July 24 and taking a ransom of nearly half a million pa’anga from their families.

A 19-year-old man from Tu‘anekivale died after shooting himself with a .22 rifle at his home on Tuesday July 30, the Vava’u Police reported.

Twenty-two of the Tupou College accused who remain in police custody today have been variously charged with trespassing, housebreaking and causing grievous bodily harm. One student has been charged with attempted arson, while a Tupou College teacher and a bus driver have been charged with aiding criminal damage and are remanded in custody.

Charges have been laid against 147 accused students and ex-students from Tupou College, who have each been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit willful damage to a building in regards to an attack at a home in Tofoa on Thursday night, July 18. Tonga Police said 75 were released on bail to July 29, while 72 accused remained in custody. New charges may be laid later.

A Tonga College student is now in a critical condition in Vaiola Hospital, after sustaining serious head injuries last night during an attack by a rival group of students who targeted a home where he stayed at Tofoa.

Tonga Police are seekng DNA tests to help identify two individuals who died in separate incidents, while inquests will be held this week.

A driver who tried to answer her mobile phone has been charged with reckless driving after the car she was driving ran off the road and up a power pole stay-wire, at Tofoa, yesterday evening, July 11.

A young man (19) died in a house fire, while three others escaped, on early Sunday morning July 7, at Halaleva in Tongatapu. Police investigating the blaze said the three who escaped did not know that the victim, who was their friend, was sleeping inside the timber house.

Sione Moa (27) who is charged with the murder of his first cousin in Neiafu on June 18 is further remanded in police custody until July 14, his next appearance at the Magistrate's Court in Vava'u.