Former Tonga PM

Matangi Tonga reports the trial ended in the Supreme Court on Monday afternoon.

The passport offences occurred in 2015.

Lord Chief Justice Whitten will sentence Tu'i'vakano in April on three counts of making a false statement for the purpose of obtaining a passport, perjury and possession of ammunition without a licence.

Tu'i'vakano will also be sentenced on a fourth count of possession of a gun without a licence, which he had already pled guilty to last week.

Matangi Tonga reports the jury trial, related to the issuance of Tongan passports to Chinese nationals, continues this week on three remaining charges.

Crown Prosecutor Semisi Lutui informed the Court, the Attorney General had advised not to proceed with the charges, which included five for accepting a bribe as a government servant and one on money laundering.

The trial will proceed on three counts of making a false statement for the purpose of obtaining a passport, perjury and possession of ammunition without a licence.

Matangi Tonga reports that he changed his plea from not guilty when it was revealed during his evidence that at time police executed a search of his home in March, he had no licence for the .22 rifle.

His counsel had intially submitted the accused had a licence to the firearm.

However, the accused explained he had a licence which expired and he had directed his Parliamentary driver, while he was House Speaker, to renew it.

Tu'ivakano then left for New Zealand and returned later with the belief his licence was renewed.