Tenants and their children, who were inside a vehicle, were shocked when confronted with an unexpected eviction order in Tonga’s main island of Tongatapu.
The incident gained widespread attention and sparked strong reactions from the online community after a live video of the dispute was shared on Facebook this week.
It comes after what seemed to be a private bailiff service arrived at a Fualu residence opposite the king’s villa at Tufumāhina.
A bailiff spokesperson, Kolio Tapueluelu, who was live streaming the incident, claimed they had the eviction order. While he was on live, a vehicle with the family arrived at the property.
According to exchanges during the live stream, Tapueluelu introduced himself to the driver and a woman in the back passenger seat, who were identified as the tenants.
Tapueluelu told them they were there to serve the eviction order, and the tenants had to leave the property immediately.
A bitter confrontation ensued as the tenants disputed the eviction order.
As the woman adamantly refused to leave and begged Tapueluelu to remain calm, her children, in the meantime, were visibly in fear and distress.
The argument continued, but what drew strong attention on social media was not the confrontation itself but the viral video showing Tapueluelu allegedly making threatening remarks.
“Stop laughing,” Tapueluelu said in Tongan to the driver after he laughingly replied, telling Tapueluelu that the alleged damage to the toilet in the property was acceptable because he had constructed it.
The woman intervened and insisted the court hearing to resolve the issue had yet to be heard, but Tapueluelu showed them documents claiming they had just been issued from the court.
“This is our house”, the woman insisted reiterating her connection with the landlord who was said to be her sister.
“We won’t leave”, she told Tapueluelu in Tongan.
“We have no place to go”.
Responding, Tapueluelu told them to leave.
“Get out of here right now,”Tapueluelu said in Tongan, telling the couple that he wanted them to leave for the road.
“Do what I tell you to do to make it short”.
Many commenters were also concerned about the bailiffs’ lack of official uniforms and IDs presented during the live streams.
In another video, which seemed part of the live stream video taken at the scene, one of the bailiffs was seen saying a prayer.
The woman was visibly tearful, and everyone appeared to reconcile and begged for each other’s forgiveness.
Tapueluelu later took to another livestream to confront his critics, saying that they had no idea about the task’s difficulty or the bailiff’s role.
It was unclear whether the tenants had finally been evicted or if there was an agreement for them to stay.
Both Tapueluelu and the family could not be reached for comment.
What did Facebook users say about this video?
The video has garnered more than 400 shares, 900 comments and 700 reactions.
Several Facebook users also expressed outrage at the viral video. One wrote, “Do it the proper way.”
“The children are pitiful,” another user commented.
A third user wrote, “The tenants were right. Do they have a right to resist?
“Unprofessional,” another wrote referring to the bailiffs.
Some commenters sided with the bailiffs, saying they were doing their job and the tenants should refrain from damaging the property.
