Tonga Supreme Court

New Supreme Court of Tonga Judge, Petunia Tupou KC, was sworn in as a new Supreme Court Judge by Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku in Nuku’alofa yesterday.

Accompanied by the Lord Chief Justice Michael Whitten QC and her husband Claude Tupou, Justice Tupou took her oath in in front of PM Hu’akavameiliku and Cabinet Ministers at the Cabinet Room.

Justice Tupou’s appointment was approved by His Majesty in Council, after being recommended by the Judicial Appointments and Discipline Panel.

As a result, the court has declared Moeaki’s election to Parliament void.

Kaniva News reports Moeaki was found guilty after the court heard a petition from Mateni Tapueluelu who stood unsuccessfully against Moeaki in the contest for the Tongatapu 4 constituency, which comprises Ma’ufanga, Houmakelikao, Fangaloto, ‘Anana, ‘Umusi, Popua, Patangata, Tukutonga, Pangaimotu and Siesia.

At the time of the election on November 18, 2021, Tapueluelu held the seat and Moeaki was Minister of Labour, Commerce and Industries.

Moeaki won the election.

Siuta Tāufa was convicted of causing death by dangerous driving.

Kaniva News reports around 11.30pm on 3 July 20221, Taufa was driving his car with Uikilifi Lapu’aho as his passenger.

The two men went from Vaini to Tatakamotonga where Lapu’aho bought a bottle of liquor.

They mixed the alcohol and drank it while returning to Vaini.

Taufa drove fast to get home before the lockdown curfew at midnight.

The court heard he lost control of the car and hit a power pole near Malapo village.

The court was told Tapueluelu punched Harilal Vamanrav from Ngele’ia on the head and then hit him with a wok.

“The defendant’s history and senseless outburst of violence in this case, resulting in the death of an innocent young man, make him a serious danger to society, which this Court must strive to protect,” Lord Chief Justice Whitten said.

The accused changed his plea to guilty on the day of his trial, on 19 July 19 according to a report by Kaniva News.

The Registrar of Supreme Court announced the appointment of Cooper Friday.

“Privy Council approved the appointment of MR Nicholas Cooper of the United Kingdom as a judge of the Supreme Court of Tonga,” it said.

“The Lord Chief Justice has directed that on 1 March 2021 commencing 10am a ceremony is to be conducted in Court 1 to welcome Hon Justice Cooper and to farewell the Hon. Acting Justice Langi.”

Talikivaha Palei Posoni was charged with possessing the drug at Te’ekiu on 22 March, 2019.

Kaniva News reports Police raided Posoni’s house after being told by an informer that he was dealing drugs.

The search was carried out without a search warrant.

A bag containing a white substance and a pipe were found hidden in a hole in the wall.

Officer Taufa, who took part in the raid, described the substance as 24.54 grams of methamphetamine.

The substance was later sent to New Zealand for testing.

The Nepituno webpage reported the king’s Judicial Appointments and Discipline Panel has recommended Langi to be appointed as a Supreme Court Judge.

Langi was first appointed as a senior magistrate on March 29 2018.

She also served as an Assistant Senior Crown Counsel at the Attorney General’s Office.

Langi’s appointment last week came after another woman, Loupua Kiola Kulī was appointed senior magistrate of Tonga’s lower courts early this year.

Langi was the second woman to be appointed to the magistrate position.

Qian Xiyun failed to declare to Customs that he was carrying more than TP$10,000 of currency.

He was scheduled to fly out to Fiji.

Kaniva News reports Qian originally pleaded guilty to the charge and elected trial by judge alone in relation to other charges. Clive Edwards appeared for him at trial, which began on 18 March 2019.

At the start of the trial, Edwards said he would argue that the accused had wrongly pleaded guilty to an offence the Crown could not sustain in law.

It has been revealed the defendant has left for the US and has not returned to Tonga.

Kaniva News reports tThe decision came after a Magistrate in 2011 fined and ordered Supileo ‘Uhatafe to pay $100 immediately after Police charged him for causing bodily harm. If he failed to pay the fine he would have served six weeks in jail.

The Magistrate also fined and ordered ‘Uhatafe to pay $50 immediately after Police charged him for assault. Failing to do so would have ended him up in jail for three weeks.

Ta’ufo’ou was sentenced to two years and three months for possession.

He was arrested on March 17, 2017, after being found in possession of a substantial amount of cannabis, totalling 635.54 grams.

This comprised one bag containing cannabis found on the front lawn, one cannabis branch with leaves found in the living room and one bag with cannabis seeds found in the first bedroom.

Kaniva News reports Police also found three bundles of cannabis plant branches found in the ceiling and four cannabis branches found in the ceiling.