One Tongan noble has allegedly been stripped of his title, while another is facing the threat of serious legal proceedings.
The news follows earlier online statements by the King and Queen, in which they warned members of the nobility about their responsibilities to the country, including the expectation of loyalty to the monarch.
The spotlight intensified this week after reports emerged that His Majesty King Tupou VI has allegedly stripped Noble Veikune of his hereditary title, although the Palace has released no official statement.
Residents of Longoteme, an estate belonging to Lord Veikune, told Kaniva News that a Royal Palace Office staff member convened a meeting to inform them of the alleged revocation of the estate’s title.
It has been reported that the title is now reserved by the King, pending the noble’s eldest son reaching the legal age to inherit it.
The reported removal of the Veikune title follows a historical precedent set in 2006, when Siosifa Fatafehi Fuatakifolaha Veikune, the father of the recent titleholder, was stripped of both his noble status and his role as Speaker of Parliament.
He was convicted of tax evasion and bribery, triggering constitutional provisions that prohibit any person convicted of a criminal offence punishable by more than two years’ imprisonment from holding elected office.
Under Tonga’s Land Act, individuals convicted of indictable offences are also barred from holding noble titles, reinforcing the legal basis for the King’s alleged decision.
Land Dispute Sparks Legal Threat
Meanwhile, Lord Tu’ilakepa, Chairman of the Whole House Committee, has been accused by a relative on social media of alleged misconduct involving his noble title and land rights on Ofu Island.
Asinate Fifita Tu’akalau has threatened legal action against Tu’ilakepa on Facebook, accusing him of wrongdoing.
The allegations, though unverified, have ignited public debate and concern over transparency and governance within Tonga’s noble class.
Tu’ilakepa was previously accused in 2010 by Australian authorities of conspiring with convicted Colombian drug lord Obeil Antonio Zuluaga Gomez to traffic cocaine through Tonga to Australia and China.
The charges were dropped in 2013 and the case was never formally adjudicated, leaving lingering questions about the extent of his involvement.
Attempts by Kaniva News to contact the Royal Palace were unsuccessful. Both Tu’ilakepa and Veikune could not be reached for comment.
