A Tongan man has been identified as one of the five victims killed in two-vehicle crash on State Highway 3, north of Te Awamutu, near Hamilton, New Zealand.
Police confirmed the three occupants of one vehicle and two occupants of the other vehicle all died at the scene.
Various posts shared on Facebook this morning identified the Tongan victim by the name Suliasi Lefai.
Here is a screenshot of a post on Facebook which identified one of the victims as Tongan.
“Fly high Suliasi”, another post read.
The posters have been contacted for further comment.
Waikato road policing manager Inspector Jeff Penno said the crash was a “tragic accident”.
One of the cars had crossed the centre line, resulting in a head-on collision, Penno said.
“We understand the time it happened, where it happened , how it happened – but we don’t know why it happened”.
“At this stage, we don’t know why it occurred. We know one vehicle crossed the centre line and collided with the other. We know exactly where that happened, and it was clearly across the centre line, but we don’t know why,” Inspector Penno said.
Emergency services were called to the crash on State Highway 3 in Ōhaupō, between Te Awamutu and Hamilton, at 4.44pm yesterday.
Here is another screenshot of a post on Facebook which identified one of the victims as Tongan
“To lose five lives in these circumstances is heartbreaking, and our thoughts go out to all the families affected.”
And police are “well down the path” towards formally identifying the victims, Penno added.
“Out of respect for the families, who are starting a long and painful journey, I don’t wish to comment any further on that.
“But all family members have been advised.”
He echoed comments from Waipā Mayor Susan O’Regan this morning.
Waipā mayor Susan O’Regan said the road isn’t particularly dangerous – but it is busy.
She said it’s not a particularly dangerous stretch of road – but it is busy.
“It’s not a high-risk road in the Waikato,” Penno said.
“We have a number of high-risk roads… This piece of road is not one of those roads.”
Police will be investigating whether drugs or alcohol played a role: “Impairment is always something we look at.”
Asked about the cars themselves, Penno said “they were not five star [safety rated] vehicles”.
Early indications are that “excess speed was not a factor”, he continued, adding “the physical scene” meant police officers couldn’t determine if all occupants of the vehicles were wearing seat belts – though “some certainly were”.
The area is a 100km/h zone. Penno said “the question would be whether the speed limit is appropriate for that stretch of road”.
The crash occurred as the country gears up for a long weekend, celebrating the King’s Birthday holiday.
Penno urged drivers to be careful and warned that anyone breaking the rules this long weekend should expect to be caught.
The Court of Appeal has approved an appeal by the Speaker of Parliament and the Legislative assembly against MP Mateni Tapueluelu against two decisions of Parliament.
Speaker Lord Fakafanua. Photo/Fale Alea ‘O Tonga
Tapueluelu was granted leave to bring proceedings for a judicial review in the Supreme Court challenging the validity of two resolutions of the Legislative Assembly which granted MPS and Parliamentary staff a 14% pay rise backdate to 2018.
The resolutions were passed in 2018 and a decision to implement them was made on 14 June 2022.
The 2022/2023 Appropriation Act included an additional TOP$6.7 million to cover the pay rises and for a cost of living adjustment for civil servants.
Tapueluelu declined to accept the pay rise at issue.
The Court of Appeal was told that the resolution approving the pay rise was passed by way of circulars in breach of the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly and Clause 62 of the Constitution.
It was argued that there was no provision in the Rules for the use of circulars and that the resolutions should have been put formally to Parliament via motion by an MP so they could be debated.
Tapueluelu argued that as a result the resolutions were unlawful and of no legal effect.
The Speaker and the Legislative Assembly applied for a declaration that the Supreme Court had no jurisdiction in respect of the MP’s claim. They contended that the Court had no jurisdiction to inquire into the internal proceedings of the Assembly and that, to do so, would breach common law privileges of the Assembly.
It was further argued that Clause 90 of the Constitution permitted the Court to inquire into the internal proceedings of the Legislative Assembly only where the Constitution had been breached. It was also argued that Clause 62 of the Constitution had not been breached.
On August 24, 2024, the former Lord Chief Justice Whitten KC refused the challenge to the court’s jurisdiction. The judge granted the MP leave to proceed and required the Speaker to file a statement of defence by September 22, 2023.
The Speaker filed an appeal against the ruling and were granted a stay of execution of the proceedings in the Supreme Court pending the final determination of their appeal.
“In England, it is well established that the validity of an Act of Parliament is not open to challenge on the ground that its passage through the House was attended by any irregularity,” the Court of Appeal was told.
“This has been the case since at least the promulgation of Article 9 of the Bill of Rights 1689 which provides that the freedom of speech and debates or proceedings in Parliament ought not to be impeached or questioned in any Court or place out of Parliament.
“The principle that the courts do not intervene or adjudicate upon the internal proceedings of a Parliament is based on the supremacy of Parliament and consideration of comity between the legislature and the courts. Each is ordinarily expected to operate within their respective spheres.”
However, the Tongan Privy Council ruled that the Legislative Assembly did not have the privilege of supremacy over the courts enjoyed in the United Kingdom.
“It follows that in determining its jurisdiction to inquire into internal proceedings of the Assembly it must apply the English common law regarding the privilege of Parliament to determine the regularity of its own proceedings, provided of course the Assembly has not acted contrary to the provisions of the Constitution,” the Court of Appeal was told.
The Supreme Court had jurisdiction in all cases in law and equity arising under the Constitution and the laws of the Kingdom of Tonga.
There was no justifiable basis for the intervention of the Court. The Assembly was given wide powers under clause 62(1) to make its own rules for the conduct of its business and the Speaker had been given the primary role of interpreting and applying the Rules whenever any question arises. His decisions were final and it was not for the Courts to function as a form of review.
“Given the constitutional importance of Parliamentary supremacy and the doctrine of the separation of powers, we are satisfied that leave to bring judicial review proceedings in this context should only be given where a compelling case is established to warrant the grant,” the Court was told.
“To do otherwise would tend to undermine the wide powers for the Assembly to govern its own procedures under the supervision of the Speaker as well as the rationale for Parliamentary privilege.
“We understand the concerns of the respondent that the approval of expenditure at the very substantial levels involved in this case ought to have been debated in the Assembly.
“However, the opportunity under clause 62(2) to propose a motion for such a debate was available, but not pursued. Importantly, clause 19 of the Constitution provides that expenditure of public money must be authorised by the prior vote of the Assembly or by legislation. The latter occurred in this case with the passage of the Appropriation Act.
“We are satisfied that Clause 62(2) of the Constitution was not breached in this case for the reasons given. It follows that the application to dismiss the respondent’s proceeding on the ground that the Court has no jurisdiction by virtue of Parliamentary privilege must succeed.
“We observe however that if the practice of the use of circulars as described is to continue, it is obviously desirable that the Rules of Procedure be amended to authorise them and the circumstances in which they may be invoked.”
Emergency services are responding to a serious crash near Te Awamutu.
The two vehicle crash occurred on State Highway 3 / Ohaupo Rd just before 4.45pm.
Police said in a statement that multiple people have been injured.
Media including Stuff and Newshub are reporting several people have been killed.
St John said three ambulances, two rapid response vehicles and two operations managers have attended, but did not say how many patients were being treated.
Fire and Emergency said three trucks from Te Awamutu and Chartwell also responded, and one remains at the scene.
Ohaupo Road is closed between Jary Road and Ngaroto Road and motorists are asked to avoid the area.
Paramedics said it was obvious Karori man Rau Tongia had been dead some time when they arrived.
Tongia was killed on Percy Dyett Drive in the early hours of 20 December, 2020. A murder trial is under way in the Wellington High Court over his death, with five women accused of being involved. The Crown alleges Tongia was shot while he slept.
The Crown has begun calling witnesses.
Paramedics from Wellington Free Ambulance said they received a callout around 8am on the morning in question.
One of the first paramedics to respond said he observed that the patient’s jaw was stiff, indicating he had been dead for some time.
Another said his pupils were not reacting to light.
The paramedics also recalled seeing a significant amount of blood on Tongia’s mattress, the left side of his torso and a large wound on his back.
The police officer in charge of securing the scene where Tongia was found, Daniel Scott, said there were visible injuries and blood all over the body.
Scott said particles found in the torso during the postmortem indicated a shotgun had been used to kill Tongia, with shotgun wadding then found.
Environmental Science and Research scientist Dr Helen Poulsen, who examined a blood sample from Tongia’s body found the presence of alcohol, tetrahydrocannabinol and gamma hydroxybutyrate.
The alcohol was well above the legal limit, measuring at 143 milligrams per 100 millilitres. The legal limit is 50 milligrams per 100 millilitres.
Four of the five women accused – Shayde Weston, Breeze Hunt-Weston, Louise Kelly Hume and Pania Waaka – on Monday pleaded not guilty to murder. The fifth defendant was not present due to health reasons.
A man last year was convicted in relation to the Tongia’s death, found guilty possession of a firearm and sentenced to four-and-a-half months’ community detention and 12 months’ intense supervision.
Power cuts and damage are possible for the upper and western North Island from this evening, NIWA is warning.
MetService has issued strong weather warnings – Auckland, Coromandel Peninsula, Taranaki, and coastal Waikato will be worst affected.
Heavy winds, rain and possible thunderstorms are forecast for parts of the country into Wednesday.
And a NIWA spokesperson said winds of more than 100km/h were expected.
“The strongest gusts are likely over coastal & elevated areas,” a post on X said.
“Localised power cuts and damage are possible.”
MetService has issued nine warnings or watches affecting Auckland and a part of Waikao in the north and extending as far south as Stewart Island.
Souwesters may hit gale levels in exposed places in parts of Auckland, including Great Barrier Island, from 4pm tomorrow.
MetService said on X gusts could reach 110km/h and might be accompanied by “gusty thunderstorms”.
People were being advised to secure outdoor items such as wheelie bins and trampolines.
The strong wind watch also takes in the west coast of Waikato north of Kawhia Harbour, the Coromandel Peninsula and the Kaimai Range.
Western Taranaki from Urenui to Hawera may also be in for a similar dose of strong winds from 2pm tomorrow.
Heavy rain is forecast to move up the west coast of both islands also and reach Auckland and Northland later in the day.
There are snowfall warnings for three areas in the South Island also – Milford Road (SH94) from 10pm, Lindis Pass (SH8) and the Crown Range Road, both from 1am. Falls are expected to range from 1cm to 4cm.
Coastal parts of Clutha and Dunedin around the Otago Peninsula, coastal parts of Southland and Stewart Island are all expected to be affected by strong winds from around 8am.
A Police investigation is underway into Tonga Development Bank (TDB) following complaints, a statement said this morning.
Tonga Development Bank.Photo/Kalino Lātū
It said the Police are currently responding to a complaint regarding an alleged breach of Banking Act, though it is unclear which law was breached as the statement failed to mention any to back its claim.
However, it said the Police would provide no further details “in order to protect the integrity of the investigation and to ensure fairness.”
“This matter is under active investigation.”
The news was the latest twist in the TDB controversy.
As Kaniva News reported last week, reports claimed TDB chief executive ‘Emeline Tuita and board of directors chairman Peni Vea had been allegedly stood down.
We previously reported that the bank had faced speculation and controversy surrounding a proposal to construct a luxury centre on royal land in Tonga.
We reported claims that the Cost Low Company has filed an application for an Injunction on a Mortgage Notice issued by TDB.
The dispute appears to date from a meeting in March last year between Tonga Development Bank CEO Emeline Tuita and the head of Royco Group, owners of Cost Low, Charlotte Cocker Tu’i’ile’ila.
It is understood, the Governor of NRBT, Tatafu Moeaki, had proposed to bar Tuita and Veafrom returning to office.
Yesterday, TDB released a statement claiming it “Inquiries regarding interactions with National Reserve Bank of Tonga”.
It said the move was regrettably made after confidential communications had been leaked.
“We regret that confidential communications between NRBT and TDB have been deliberately leaked, causing grave misconceptions and unnecessary confusion among our customers and the public.”
“These matters should remain confidential and handled professionally and via the proper channels to ensure confidence in the stability of the country’s financial system is maintained.”
The bank claimed it is “on track for another year of strong profitability”, with a Liquid Assset Ratio of 15% and Risk-Weighted Capital position of 23% “well above the statutory minimum of 15%”.
They said: “TDB’s customers can have full confidence that TDB is financially well-positioned to continue serving the Kingdom as its only locally owned bank.
“TDB’s major shareholder has committed to injecting additional capital to support our growth strategy.”
An Australian man is facing almost three years in an Indonesian jail after a video allegedly showing him assaulting a local driver was sent to police.
Maika James Folauhola (pictured) was arrested at a Bali airport on Friday after allegedly assaulting a driver
Maika James Folauhola, a 24-year-old from Mildura in north-west Victoria, was arrested by Kuta Police while preparing to board a flight home at Ngurah Rai International Airport on Friday.
Kuta Police allege Mr Folauhola attacked a driver shortly after 10pm last Sunday.
‘According to the victim’s statement, the perpetrator hit the victim five times on the victim’s head, shoulders, neck and back until the victim suffered injuries,’ Kuta Police Chief Commissioner I Ketut Agus Pasek Sudina told local news outlets.
The allegation was reported to police on Tuesday with the Investigation Unit Opsnal Team arresting Mr Folauhola with the help of airport security staff.
Footage of the incident shows a man, alleged to be Mr Folauhola, standing in front of the driver’s car before lashing out and hitting the driver against their window.
Police claim Mr Folauhola told officers the car had almost hit him and that he had been drinking before the alleged attack.
‘The perpetrator suddenly hit the side window of the victim’s car until finally the victim got out of the car intending to ask the perpetrator who hit the window,’ Commissioner Sudina said.
‘But the victim was actually assaulted by the perpetrator.’
Mr Folauhola could face up to two years and eight months behind bars if found guilty for the alleged assault.
A spokesperson from the Department of Foreign Affairs said it is ‘providing consular assistance to an Australian detained in Bali’.
KING COUNTY, Wash. – Last week, a jury rendered a unanimous verdict, finding Joshua “Everybodytalksabout” Puloka guilty on all counts in the triple murder case that shook Des Moines in 2021.
Last week, a jury rendered a unanimous verdict, finding Joshua “Everybodytalksabout” Puloka guilty on all counts in the triple murder case that shook Des Moines in 2021.
The conviction, brought forth by King County Prosecutors, marks the conclusion of a case that gripped the community, bringing some measure of closure to the families of the victims.
A jury found Puloka guilty of eight counts: one count of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder, three counts of first-degree manslaughter, and one count each of first- and second-degree assault.
The jury’s decision reflected a thorough consideration of the evidence presented, as they convicted Puloka as charged on each count they were instructed on. The jury’s decision not to pursue three of the charges was a testament to the sufficiency of evidence presented on other counts.
“Justice was done in this case – justice for Antoine Matthews, Angelia Hylton, and Ezra Taylor who were murdered, justice for the two additional surviving gunshot victims, justice for their families, and justice for our entire King County Community,” said King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion.
This isn’t Puloka’s first encounter with the law. With this being his third strike, he faces the possibility of life in prison without parole. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 21.
Puloka’s conviction stems from a tragic incident that unfolded outside La Familia Sports Pub in Des Moines on September 26, 2021. The shooting resulted in the deaths of three people and injuries to three others.
According to court documents, Puloka was identified as the perpetrator who indiscriminately fired shots into a crowded parking lot, fatally striking Matthews, Hylton, and Taylor. The incident unfolded amidst a chaotic scene captured on surveillance footage, where a fight erupted, leading to the fatal shots.
Demarcus Simmons, identified as a second suspect in the incident, engaged in physical altercations before the shooting. Puloka, standing nearby, joined the altercation, leading to the deadly gunfire.
The aftermath of the shooting left a community in mourning and families shattered.
“He always would tell me, ‘mom, your heart is my heart, and my heart is your heart,’” Selena Taylor told FOX 13 Seattle in 2021. “I miss my heart, and sometimes it’s hard for me to breathe because I want my heart back.”
Selena said her son, 26-year-old Ezra Taylor, was one of the victims.
Ezra was an actor who had just finished his first film, according to Selena, who described her son as sweet, humble, quiet and caring.
“He would want to see everyone succeed. He would want everybody to be well. He would give his last shirt to anybody,” said Selena.
Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a man missing from Sydney’s north.
Stephen Fifita, aged 30, was last seen at a medical facility on Reserve Road, St Leonards, about 10am yesterday (Saturday 25 May 2024).
When he could not be contacted or located, officers attached to North Shore Police Area Command were notified and commenced inquiries into his whereabouts.
Police and family hold serious concerns for his welfare.
Stephen is described as being of Pacific Islander/Maori appearance, 170cm, medium build, dark coloured hair and moustache.
He was last seen wearing a blue Hawaiian style shirt with white emblems, light coloured shorts and blue shoes.
Stephen is known to frequent the Dulwich Hill area.
Investigations have established that he may have been in the vicinity of Lewisham at 11.15am yesterday (Saturday 25 May 2024). Anyone with information into
The diver who had retrieved the body from Laulea beach waters yesterday had been hailed and recognised online.
Puli ki Pulotu Afu Jr
Veimau Toke had volunteered to dive and searched for Puli ki Puloti Jr Afu’s body in one of Tonga’s most dangerous water spots.
Not long after he had descended deep into the notorious underwater Toke found Afu’s body and brought it to surface.
He had been hailed as a hero with many saying he had saved taxpayers’ money which may have been spent if it had been left for the Police to conduct the search.
The online community has congratulated and rewarded Toke as a good Samaritan.
Some suggested that the government should formally recognise him.
Meanwhile, family, friends and kāinga of Afu have paid tribute to a “really caring man”.
Afu disappeared on Saturday morning and was found dead in the waters several hours later.
Reports claimed he went for a swim before he was reported missing.
Following the devastating news, Afu’s family took to Facebook and identified him as the Laulea victim.
A post read: “We would like to thank everyone for sharing social media posts, and members of the public and friends who have been out looking for Puli”.
“I have learnt a lot from you Puli Afu Junior. You were young but behaved as a matured adult. You were just a good behaving young man”, another wrote in Tongan.
“I will never forget these faces (sic), they treated us all the same growing up in the island. I used to follow my dad to all his rugby trainings and Puli was one of my dad’s best players. Love you heaps and goodbye. Say hi to dad for me oh I can already imagine the reunion”.
Veimau Toke
Laulea beach is one of the most dangerous places in Tonga to go swimming due to powerful rip currents and waves that are known to sweep people out to sea.
In 2018 Viliami Vaka’uta, 24, was presumed dead after he attempted to save her wife in the water.
‘Inoke Mapaleve Mo’unga, 32, of Kolonga drowned at the beach after visiting there with his wife and friends.
In 2012 Catholic priest, Father Mikaele Mateo , 37, died at Laulea Beach while helping to rescue his five young nephews who were swept out to open sea by the strong currents.
