Tongan man pleads guilty to bribing police officer

A 56-year-old Tongan man has pleaded guilty to bribery of a member of Tonga Police, when he appeared at the Supreme Court, yesterday (May 14).

Fili Ta'ai of Ngele’ia will be sentenced on June 25.

Prosecution said, the accused accepted that on July 3, 2019, while in police custody, he arranged through another person to give a police officer one box of chicken, one 6lb corned beef and three plastic bags of sweet potatoes, as an inducement for the officer to try and get him released on bail.  

The police officer immediately reported the matter to his superiors and an investigation started, resulting in this charge.

The accused has a separate matter related to illicit drugs, which is still before the Magistrate's Court.