An investigation in Tonga on alleged illegal activities over Tongan passport will be completed and soon released to the public, the kingdom’s Chief Secretary and Secretary to Cabinet Dr Palenitina Langa’oi said.
Dr Langa’oi was responding to a question from Kaniva News asking for when precisely the date the report on the investigation be released after she said in a meeting in Auckland last month that it would be released soon.
“The Ministry of Police is still working on the case. It is hoped that the investigation will be completed soon”, she said.
Dr Langa’oi has asked the Police Commissioner which was cc’d in her email of response to Kaniva to clarify the situation but we have not received any response from Steve Caldwell at the time of this report.
“I am copying this email to the Police Commissioner for his assistance and further clarifications please”, Dr Langoʻi’s email read.
Meanwhile trials over Tongan passport forgery were set to start on September 12.
Sione ‘Ahohako, Sioeli Heleta, Ola Feauna Tameifuna and ‘Isikeli Kaumavae will appear at the Supreme Court facing with forgery, receiving bribery and other related charges regarding an application for Tongan passport.
The accused worked at the Ministry of Justice when they allegedly committed these offences.
There were other pending cases over the passport scandal which were expected to be dealt with court soon.
Investigation
The issue of the Tongan passport had been raised during Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva state visit to New Zealand last month.
New Zealand Prime Minister said New Zealand has real concerns about what effectively in one sense are legitimate passports but they’re being used illegitimately.
“We’ve had assurances from Tonga that they’re dealing with the issue, he says some of it obviously predates his government and he’s addressing it,” John Key said of Tonga’s Prime Minister.
The Tongan government set up a Police task force to investigate Tonga’s passport scandal after it considered that a Royal Commission to investigate the scandal was costly.
The taskforce investigation had so far made more than 10 arrests including confiscating a laptop of Tonga’s former Prime Minister and current Speaker of the House Lord Tu’ivakano.
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