Former Minister of Infrastructure Sevenitini Toumo’ua has denied allegations that he entered into a non-compliant arrangement with a company to purchase two new trucks.
This was Toumo’ua’s second response to Kaniva News’ report that six months had passed since the Ministry’s $140,000 truck payment, with delivery still pending. He had served as Minister when the purchase was made.
It follows an allegation that the vehicle supplier later demanded what was believed to be an additional $100,000 beyond the original $140,000 payment.
As we reported yesterday, an official letter dated 19 March 2025, leaked to Kaniva News, MOI Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr Lōpeti Heimuli confirmed the ministry’s TOP$140,000 payment for a Nissan Atlas truck (TOP$50,000) and a Hino Ranger crane truck (TOP$90,000) in December 2024, based on an August 2024 invoice from the Logistics company.
However, the vehicles remain undelivered, prompting the ministry’s formal intervention.
According to the letter, it appeared that New Life Logistics CEO Lesieli Namoa had a “previous arrangement with former Minister” Toumoua to justify the additional payments.
The letter said: “Your previous arrangement with former Minister, was not in order with the Government Procurement Regulation 2015”.
The ministry’s letter specifically refutes allegations that it attempted to illegally transfer vehicle ownership, calling these claims “false accusations.”
Toumo’ua’s Response
When previously contacted for comment, former Minister Toumo’ua said the vehicles are still with CEO Namoa, and the Ministry should talk to her.
He said in Tongan: “Koe ongo loli ena oku ia Lesieli pe I Tonga ke nau talanoa kiai.”
After reporting the story, Toumo’ua contacted Kaniva again.
He wanted to clarify that the purchase and the payment had been approved by MOI and paid by the Treasury according to the government’s procurement regulations.
Toumo’ua stated that the Ministry required the trucks for road maintenance, noting that the purchase prices were competitive.
He noted MOI had dispatched an engineer to evaluate the trucks before CEO Heimuli authorised the purchase – a procedure requiring Treasury approval before payment.
“There was nothing non-compliant and I did not know about that claim by Lopeti that there was an arrangement that was not in accordance with procurement procedures”, Toumo’ua told Kaniva News in Tongan.
Additional Accrued Fees
When asked why the trucks appeard to have been stored at the wharf for an extended period, causing the supplier to demand approximately $100,000 in additional accrued fees, Toumo’ua stated that Heimuli should be the one to answer that question.
The Minister for Infrastructure, Dr Taniela Fusimālohi, and the CEO, Heimuli, have been contacted with a copy of the letter for comment.
We requested confirmation regarding their communication with Namoa, as well as to address claims that Toumo’ua’s arrangement with Namoa did not comply with the government’s procurement regulations.
Namoa could not be reached for comment.
Third-Party Complicates Standoff.
According to Heimuli’s letter, third-party Samuela Mafile’o claimed the vehicles after wharf clearance.
Despite this development, the MOI maintains it would only negotiate directly with New Life Logistics, the original supplier.
The ministry earnestly requested Namoa to provide the vehicles.
The letter read, “Therefore, we kindly seek your assistance to deliver the two vehicles to the Ministry as per full payments made in December 2024.”
A reliable source told Kaniva News that there appears to have been no contractual agreement between the MOI and Namoa at the initial purchase.
The source further alleged that Namoa subsequently demanded an additional $100,000 on top of the $140,000 paid by the MOI in December 2024, purportedly for storage fees.
