Evidence has emerged that the video showing a Tongan policeman beating a male teenager had been edited.
A new photo has surfaced online showing the teenage boy who was beaten by a Tongan police officer apparently standing, while a Tonga College student lies face down on the ground.
The video footage, which was uploaded to Facebook earlier this month, appears to have been cut to omit footage of the teenager hitting the student.
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It has been claimed the fight started over a relationship with a female student.
The police officer who was accused of hitting the teenage boy is shown in the photo heading to where the incident happened.
The teenage boy who was beaten by the Tongan police officer is standing, while a Tonga College student lies face down on the ground.
The incident occurred after a fight broke out at a rugby game.
Earlier reports said the officer could be seen punching the student before kicking him and finishing him off with a punch to the head.
Overdue officer in France
The police officer has left the country and is said to be with his family in France, where he had reportedly signed a contract with a rugby union club.
The officer was due to return on August 20.
Tonga’s Police Minister, Hon Sifa Tu’utafaiva, said claims on Facebook that the Ministry allowed the officer to go on leave to avoid charges being laid against him were false.
The new photo has divided the Tongan online community, with many users supporting the officer.
“If the police officer did not intervene the student might have been in serious trouble,” one comment said in Tongan.
“What would the Ministry of Police do to the teenage boy who hit the student?” another Facebook user asked.
“Tongans can only learn when they are beaten”, one commentator said, referring to the Tongan adages Ko e Tonga ia ke taa’i pe or taa’i ke poto or ‘Ai ‘o taa’i or ‘hit him or her’ a common adage delivered when someone is thought to be behaving badly.
However, another Facebook user said: “The Police officer should never ever hit someone like that no matter what. They should not take the law to their own hands. There is no law in Tonga that allows officers to hit someone.”
How long before violence stops?
Police said there was no immediate remedy for the violence within the police force.
"We have taken a very, very, hard line, but I think as anybody realises you don't change the culture in an organisation in a few months or even a few years," Tonga’s Police Commissioner, Grant O'Fee said.
"I'm the first to admit we have a long way to go,” he said.
Facebook users have asked whether Tongans have to wait for evolution to change police behaviour in 100 years or whether the Tongan authorities will be realistic and do something about the problem.
However, most comments on Facebook agree that beating in Tonga is customary and that has become traditional for Tongans to use beating as a disciplinary measure.
No formal complaint laid
A Police statement sent to Kaniva News said the officer accused of punching the teenage boy had left the kingdom on an ‘approved’ leave.
It said no further action could be taken until the officer returned to Tonga.
Some Tongans have claimed there have been instances in the past where officers were charged with violence, but allowed to go on leave to avoid facing court. The officers had not returned and the court cases had been left unheard.
The Police Minister, Hon. Sifa Tu’utafaiva, told Parliament on Thursday last week no formal complaint had been laid against the officer for beating the teenager.
He said the police had enough evidence to charge the officer.
Hon. Tu’utafaiva said police had only become aware the officer had left the country when they investigated the video.
The main points
- Evidence has emerged that the video showing a Tongan policeman beating a student had been edited.
- A new photo has surfaced online showing the teenage boy who was beaten by a Tongan police officer apparently standing, while a Tonga College student lies face down on the ground.
- The video footage, which was uploaded to Youtube earlier this month, appears to have been cut to omit footage of the teenager hitting the student.
- Earlier reports said the officer could be seen punching the student before kicking him and finishing him off with a punch to the head.
- The police officer has left the country and is said to be with his family in France, where he had reportedly signed a contract with a rugby union club.
