The dean of Lo’au University, Dr Siosiua Lafitani, has appointed three individuals to investigate Kaniva News and Auckland-based barrister Nalesoni Tupou.
The appointments were announced on Lo’au University’s official Facebook page following Kaniva News’ investigations into allegations of fraudulent practices and complaints of mistreatment involving the university.
The document posted online names the appointees as Lo’au Fualu, Lo’au Moana, and Lo’au Tafokikaetau. Kaniva News’ research indicates that none of these individuals hold credentials as registered or professional investigators.
The announcement follows a series of public attacks by Lafitani against Kaniva News editor Kalino Latu, veteran Pacific journalists Michael Field and Kalafi Moala, and barrister Tupou. Lafitani has previously described their reporting and commentary on Tongan democracy as “fakapo’uli” (a work of the dark ages) and “fakanāfala” (baseless).
Lafitani, who holds a doctorate in social policy, has long opposed Tonga’s democratic reforms introduced in 2010, repeatedly claiming they did not represent a genuine move toward democracy—a position widely disputed by academic research and empirical evidence.
READ MORE:
- Dr Lafitani refunds fees after student engages lawyer over course quality and alleged academic fraud
- Lawyer Tupou accuses Prof Lafitani of lying about Tonga’s democracy and questions his knowledge of law and the status of Lo’au University
- EDITORIAL: Professor Lafitani continues to attack Kaniva News, but his claims that Tonga’s political reforms in 2010 were not a change for democracy are a lie
- Academic accusations fly as controversial Lo’au University denies fraud allegations
After Kaniva News challenged misinformation published by Lafitani, the dean did not respond to the substance of the reporting. Instead, he escalated the dispute by personally targeting Mr Latu, dismissing his work as “cut and pasted” and referring to it as “tufitufi veve” (rubbish picking).
Legal Threats and Student Complaints
In a separate development, former Lo’au student Toki’ukamea Liutai—also known by his legal name Marshall Cameron—alleged that Lafitani and Lo’au University engaged in fraudulent practices. Liutai claimed that Lafitani told him he needed to pay AU$2,200 toward a total tuition fee of AU$3,500 before gaining access to the student handbook and selecting his courses.
He expressed concern after claiming that research he conducted shortly after enrolling indicated Lo’au University is not registered and that its qualifications are not accredited by any recognised authority in Tonga, New Zealand, or Australia, where Lafitani is based.
“That’s a red flag,” Liutai previously told Kaniva News, adding that he initially believed the university was credible because of its online presence.
He said Lo’au University does not have an official website and that the online courses he attended were conducted through Facebook Messenger and video calls.
Sydney Threat Allegation
Liutai withdrew shortly after enrolling, alleging that the courses did not meet his expectations and that their delivery was unsatisfactory. He demanded a full refund and engaged barrister Nalesoni Tupou to recover the fees. In response, Lafitani publicly accused Liutai of defamation and threatened legal action—a move Liutai described as scaremongering tactics designed to silence him.
During a VPON media broadcast, Lafitani claimed he had intervened to prevent three Tongan groups in Sydney from attacking Liutai. In the same programme, which was viewed by Kaniva News, Lafitani also referred to Liutai as a fool (“vale”).
Following Kaniva News’ coverage of Liutai’s complaints, Lafitani announced on Facebook that he had hired lawyers and filed a police complaint against Kaniva News. However, his post did not specify which police authority received the complaint or the nature of the allegations.
On October 15, Lafitani used Facebook to allege that Mr Latu had asked him to provide Tongan-to-English translation services for Kaniva News. Latu categorically denied the claim, calling it a fabricated attempt to create the impression that the news outlet had sought Lafitani’s assistance while reporting critically on him.
Editor’s Note
The personal attacks against our editor and the disparagement of our reporting by Lafitani and his associates represent a classic example of “shooting the messenger.” Such tactics aim to deflect attention from the substantive issues by targeting those who report them.
Kaniva News remains committed to its role as an independent news organisation serving the Tongan community. We will not be deterred by intimidation or smear campaigns. Our responsibility is to the truth and to our audience, and we will continue to uphold that duty without fear or favour.
The strength of democracy depends on a free press that holds power to account. Kaniva News stands by its investigative work and will continue to report matters of public interest without bias, regardless of how inconvenient they may be for those in positions of influence.
