Tonga's parliament has confirmed in a letter to Mateni Tapueluelu that he has lost his seat as a people's representative in Parliament.
The clerk of the house, Gloria Pole'o, says the letter from the Speaker, Lord Tu'ivakano, states that the Tongatapu constituency No 4 seat is now vacant and a by-election is pending.
Radio Tonga says this comes after a court ruling that Tapueluelu, because of an outstanding debt, was not eligible to stand in the poll last year.
It was Tapueluelu's first election and he became a part of the country's first popularly elected government.
He is understood to be planning an appeal.