Tongasat appeal

It comes as the government and Prime Minister 'Akilisi Pohiva pursue Tongasat, which they accuse of taking millions in public money before it was stripped of its financial assets by a royal princess.

Tongasat, which manages Tonga's orbital space, launched an appeal after the Supreme Court in August last year ruled $US50 million in payments the company received from China was grant aid intended for the government. The payments were part of a settlement from China after it was found to have placed a satellite in Tonga's orbital space in 2006 without proper authorisation.

It's the latest blow to Tongasat, a private company Prime Minister 'Akilisi Pohiva has accused a royal princess of using to take millions in public money.

Tongasat had launched an appeal over a Supreme Court decision from August last year, when the Supreme Court ruled $US50 million in payments China made to Tongasat was grant aid intended for Tonga's government.

The company wanted fresh evidence to be heard from four key witnesses, including former finance ministers Lord Matoto and Sunia Fili and former Department of Finance officials 'Aisake Eke and 'Aholotu Palu.