Hon. Frederica Fatafehi ‘O Lapaha Filipe has taken to Facebook in reponse to an article in Kaniva news this week which reported that her husband, Sione Filipe Jr, had been arrested and charged with importing illicit drugs.
The story was reported against a background of a number of drug related raids and arrests by police in the kingdom.
The article reported that Filipe was Frederica’s parents’ son-in-law.
Hon. Frederica is Princess Pilolevu and Lord Tuita’s second youngest daughter and a niece of King Tupou VI.
Our article was published on Tuesday night and Hon. Frederica took to Facebook the following morning to defend her husband.
Comments posted in response to her statements include complaints that Filipe’s family connections were mentioned.
A number of attacks were made on Kaniva news, including claims that the story was not true.
However, Hon. Frederica has never denied that her husband was arrested and charged with alleged importation of illicit drugs as reported by Kaniva.
As Kaniva news reported on Tuesday the Minister of Police, Mateni Tapueluelu said it was “true Filipe Jr was arrested and is bailed, but has been formally charged for importing illicit drugs.”
Hon. Frederica has posted documents on Facebook which purport to show that her husband had been granted permission by the government to import cannabis.
Kaniva news cannot comment on this claim. It is something for the court to decide when her husbands’ case come up for trial.
Kaniva news stands by its story – confirmed by the Minister of Police – which simply reported that Sione Filipe Jr had been arrested and charged with the illegal importation of drugs.
Kaniva news did not – and cannot – make any claim about the vailidity of those charges. That is entirely a matter for the court.
The main points
- Hon. Frederica Fatafehi ‘O Lapaha Filipe has taken to Facebook in reponse an article in Kaniva news this week which reported that her husband, Sione Filipe Jr, had been arrested and charged with importing illicit drugs.
- The story was reported againt a background of a number of drug related raids and arrests by police in the kingdom.
For more information
Princess Pilolevu’s son-in-law arrested for alleged importation of illicit drugs as Police arrest 17 others in separate incidents
