Home Blog Page 171

Woman given suspended sentence for  impersonating Customs Officer on Vava‘u  

By
Kaniva Staff
-

A woman who threatened to close shops in Vava’u pretending to be a customs officer has been given an 18-month suspended sentence.

Photo/Kaniva Tonga

Mele Soloi Malo Havea, 35, pleaded guilty at Nuku’alofa Supreme Court for impersonating a custom officer contrary to section 98 of the Customs and Excise Management Act.

Havea from  Fungamisi, Vava‘u , arrived in Neiafu and lived at her uncle’s house at Leimatu‘a. She introduced herself as being transferred from Tongatapu to work at Vava‘u Customs.

Sometimes between July and August Havea was wearing a customs uniform and present in a faikava at Leimātu’a as tou’a, the woman who serves kava.

At one stage, Havea was at the Fia Chinese shop warning the shopkeepers of several things to do to comply with the law if not she would close the shop. Two Police officers stopped by at the shop and overheard what Havea was telling the shop keepers to do.

Havea also entered the J R Trading store and took a damaged can of tuna. She told the Chinese shopkeeper she was an inspector from Tonga.

On the same day, a Chinese businessman launched a complaint with Police that Havea did not pay his rental car in full.

Police later arrested her and brought Talita Fisi‘ihoi, a customs officer from the Customs office in Vava’u to confirm whether Havea was indeed an officer from Tongatapu Customs. Fisi’ihoi denied it and said  Havea “has never worked as a customs officer”.

Justice Langi convicted and sentenced Havea to 18 months imprisonment on each count concurrent to the head sentence.

The sentence is fully suspended on the following conditions:

  • not to commit any crimes punishable by imprisonment.
  • 40 hours of community work as directed by the Probation Officer. The accused is to report to the probation office within 48 hours of this sentence.
  • Live where directed by the probation officer.
  • Undergo a course on management and life skills.

PM claims nobody interested in taking over Lulutai; adamant gov’t will keep running airline despite king’s concerns

By
Kalino Latu
-

Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku claimed this afternoon that  no one was interested in operating Lulutai airlines and this was why his government was still operating it.

PM Hu’akavameiliku

However, the claim was misleading because two former airline operators have repeatedly expressed interest in taking over the service.

The Prime Minister made his comment during a streamed press conference in Nuku’alofa this afternoon following King Tupou VI asked why the government continued to be involved in private business. 

Hon. Hu’akavameiliku was responding to questions from local media who wanted to know his response to His Majesty’s questioning of what he termed the “secrecy” surrounding the government’s decision making about the airline.

The Prime Minister did not answer that question directly and instead said the payment for Lulutai’s new DeHavilland Twin Otter had been submitted to Parliament. He smiled while he said it.

He also said the preliminary report on the Saab 340 aircraft crash had already been released to the public.

He also responded to the king’s concerns about the government’s involvement with Lulutai by saying that his government would continue to do so.

In Tongan he said: “Ka ‘i he taimi ni ‘e ‘ikai fai ha lele i he taimi ko ee oku ai ha ki’i palopalema tau ki’i pine ai leva”.

This translates as: “At the moment we would not abandon it and run while there is a bit of problem, let’s get on with it”.  

The Prime Minister also asked in Tongan:  “If we, Lulutai withdraw from the airlines services would there be any airline services for the islands?

“Is there anyone who can buy the government out and can operate the airlines privately?”

He said those questions were not new as they had been previously raised and discussed.

He said there were discussions to engage Fiji Airways and Air New Zealand for the domestic airlines.

However, the Prime Minister appeared to be trying to find an answer after Kele’a Voice editor Teisa Pohiva asked why he did not bring back Real Tonga airline.

“Aaah…that’s another airline. I mean it would be just changing names if it was changed to Real Tonga”, the Prime Minister replied.

He said  it had to be confirmed whether the Real Tonga could afford to buy Lulutai airlines or not.

The Prime Minister failed to mention that both previous operators, Real Tonga and Fly Niu had publicly shown their interest in replacing the Lulutai airlines and operating the domestic airlines if given the chance.

In 2019 Fly Niu director ‘Atu Finau publicly announced the then government’s decision that his company would start flying in Tonga by December that year.

He told Kaniva news at the time the government was expecting him to submit his airline license application as soon as he could. However, that deal failed to go ahead after the death of the then Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva that same year.

In 2021 Fly Niu and the then government reached an in-principle agreement for Fly Niu to buy Lulutai airlines. However, that deal again ended unsuccessfully after the government was taken over by the current administration. 

The Real Tonga also announced publicly its interest in reviving the domestic airlines.

CEO Tevita Palu told Kaniva News recently he had met with several authorities, including the Prime Minister, the Minister Civil Aviation and the Minister of Finance to seek their support.

He said aircraft from New Zealand were readily available for delivery to Tonga and were waiting on Tongan Government approval.

Last year, Palu and Finau told Kaniva News they had agreed to work together if the government sold Lulutai airline to Fly Niu.

Tongatapu man jailed after meth found in vaping device  

By
Kaniva Staff
-

A vaping device found in the possession of a man arrested by Police on Tongatapu last year was used to conceal methamphetamine.

Mosese Mafile’o Uasike, 39,  was sentenced to eight months imprisonment with partial suspension after he pleaded guilty to three charges of having 0.99 grams of methamphetamine.in his possession.

The court was told that on September 20, 2023 at around 10.30 pm, a tip-off prompted Police to raid Uasikee’s house in Kolomotu’a.

Upon arrival at the front side of the Wesleyan Church hall the Police noticed a black car dropping off a person before it left. The vehicle returned a short time later before the accused approached it.

By this time the Police made their move and arrested Mafile’o.

He attempted to get rid of a vape device but the Police immediately seized it.

He was searched and all that was found upon him was $200 cash.

The Police opened the device and found  one pack containing five packs with a white substance inside and one pack also containing white substance.

Justice Cooper sentenced Uasike to eight months’ imprisonment, the last four months suspended for one year on conditions. 

His sentence was then back dated to his first remand in police custody on 12 March this year.

All drugs and paraphernalia were forfeited and ordered to be destroyed. The cash seized also forfeited.

King emphasises concerns over ‘secrecy’ surrounding Lulutai airlines operation; warns Parliament over increasing drug offences

By
Kalino Latu
-

King Tupou VI has repeated his concerns over the government’s involvement in the operation of the  Lulutai airlines.

King Tupou VI

The King made the comments during his speech this morning to mark the soft closing session of Parliament.

The strong language from the throne over the government’s roles in the controversial airlines used the word “fakapulipuli”, which translates as secrecy, and comes in the wake of Auditor General, Sefita Tangi, recently revealing the government had failed to submit a “share certificate” which should show who own the airline.

Kaniva News recently asked the Prime Minister whether his government had issued a share certificate or not and we are awaiting a response.  

His Majesty and the Auditor General joined forces in echoing previous accusations by  Opposition MPs that the Prime Minister had made decisions over Lulutai airlines in “secrecy”.  

That accusation was part of 46 allegations mentioned in the Prime Minister’s  confidence vote, which had included claims that the Prime Minister had failed to submit any financial statements for the Lulutai airlines to Parliament.

His Majesty also emphasised the democratic mechanism of transparency and warned that it was the responsibility of the MPs to be responsible and accountable to the people who voted for them.

He said it was the responsibility of Parliament to check and balance out the government’s services and businesses and make sure tax money was used wisely and transparently.

“Was the money well spent? Has it been useful for the people of the country?” the King asked.

The King also repeated the concerns he originally raised while chastising Parliament and the government four years ago. On that occasion he warned that it was imprudent for the government to take part in private business.

“Why is the government operating the airlines in secrecy?” the King asked in Tongan.

He also questioned why the government did not invite qualified people in the aviation industry to operate the airlines services. 

The King then reminded Parliament that the government had failed to fund the former airlines company, although  he did not say it directly. It appeared he was talking about the Real Tonga airlines about which he approached the former government for more funding to help it survive during the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, the government ditched Real Tonga and set up its new Lulutai airline in 2020.

The king was also concerned by what he said was Parliament taking the drug offenses lightly. He suggested considering the heaviest penalty to alleviate the increasing number of young people suffered from the harmful consequences of drug use and addiction.

The King also questioned the roles and services of the Anti-corruption Commission and the Ombudsman.

New Zealand barrister and mediator James Christopher LaHatte has been appointed as Tonga’s first Anti-Corruption Commissioner and was expected to take up his four-year posting on 1 July.

“Are the services of the Anti-corruption Commission and the Ombudsman working? Are they being in good use and available for every citizen?” the King asked.

The King’s speech was written in a letter and was read out by Lord Tangi ‘O Vaonukonuka this morning.  Parliament is expected to return to duty in few weeks’ time to start deliberating the new budget.

McDonald’s stabbing: Man left fighting for life after being wounded at St Albans venue

By
Kaniva Staff
-

By BLAIR JACKSON FOR NCA NEWSWIRE and ANTOINETTE MILIENOS FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

A man has been rushed to hospital after he was found with severe injuries in a McDonald’s car park.  

Emergency services rushed to the St Albans McDonald’s, in Melbourne‘s northwest, at about 6am on Tuesday following reports of a man had been stabbed. 

The man, who has yet to be identified, was rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries.

In a statement police said: ‘It is believed the man was involved in a dispute with another man prior to being located with his injuries.’

The McDonald’s is on St Albans Road, next to a community sports ground and small shopping centre.

The investigation remains ongoing, with police urging anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.  

Meet the Aussie who won the jackpot 14 times with a simple maths formula – taking home more than $30million

By
Kaniva Staff
-

By BRITTANY CHAIN FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA 

A person’s chances of winning a major lottery are approximately one in 14 million.  

But mathematician Stefan Mandel defied the odds to win the jackpot 14 times during his hey-day, and he did so without breaking a single law, the Lottery Critic reported.

The Romanian-born Australian citizen used his wits and affinity for numbers to create a near-perfect formula to crack the system.

While working as an economist in Romania, Mr Mandel tested his creation and hoped for a second prize win by using the five numbers his formula  provided while simply guessing the sixth digit.  

He ended up winning the major prize and was able to leave Romania and settle in Australia with his young family.

Shortly after arriving Down Under, Mr Mandel set to work fine-tuning his formula to the Australian game.

Due to the immensity of possible combinations in the Australian lottery, Mr Mandel began searching for investors, with the intention of scooping up as many tickets for each major draw as possible. 

With five of six numbers calculated via his system, the amount of combinations became finite and Mr Mandel began focusing on major prizes offering more money than possible combinations. 

With these he hoped to purchase every ticket option available, giving him even more chances of winning the jackpot.

After 12 wins, Australian authorities began cottoning on to his grand scheme.

Despite the legality of his activities, it was deemed not in the spirit of the game and a series of laws were introduced to block him. 

It was made illegal for one man to purchase every ticket of the lottery.

Another law was enacted which made it illegal for groups of individuals to purchase all the tickets in a lottery draw, but again, Mr Mandel found a workaround by creating a lottery firm.

Just as he overcame each hurdle, the Australian government would place another in front of him.

HOW A MAN BEAT THE SYSTEM 

Stefan Mandel created a near-perfect formula to outsmart the lottery system.

He discovered a math formula with a 100 percent chance of successfully ascertaining five out of the six necessary numbers to hit the jackpot.

From this, he raised funds through investors, to purchase enough tickets to invest in every possible combination of numbers.

Through refining his formula depending on the lottery systems of Australia and the United States, Mr Mandel won in excess of $30million.

He won one lottery in Romania, 12 in Australia, and the major jackpot in Virginia, USA. 

Mr Mandel’s formula was eventually outlawed in both countries, however he was never indicted for any wrongdoing.

Before long, Mr Mandel grew tired of the back and forth, and again set his sights on a greater market. 

When scouting other options, he learned the United States had not yet imposed the restrictions he’d experienced in Australia.

He immediately got to work on cracking the American system, with a particular focus on the Virginia lottery.

At the time, there were 7.1 million possible number combinations in the pool and tickets were priced at only $1 each. 

Mr Mandel convinced 2,500 Australian investors to pool $2,500 each. 

Two years later, in 1992, the jackpot reached $27 million, and Mr Mandel and his team purchased every single ticket.

‘I knew that I would win one first prize, six second prizes, 132 third prizes, and thousands of minor prizes,’ he told Planet Money.

His total profit was in excess of $30million.

It resulted in a four-year legal battle, which saw the syndicate investigated by the likes of the CIA and FBI, however suspicions went unfounded. 

Despite this, laws were still changed to outlaw Mr Mandel’s technique.  

By 1995, Mr Mandel filed for bankruptcy

Lake Macquarie stabbing: Tragedy as girl, 10, allegedly stabbed to death by her sister, 17 in Boolaroo, NSW

By
Kaniva Staff
-

By KYLIE STEVENS FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

A young girl has allegedly been stabbed to death by her teenage sister in NSW‘s Lake Macquarie region.

Dozens of police remained at the scene in Thurston Street on Monday night

Emergency services rushed to a home in Thurston Street, Boolaroo near Newcastle about 3.45pm on Monday following reports of a stabbing.

Paramedics treated a 10-year-old girl at the scene for multiple stab wounds but she was unable to be revived.

Police arrested a 17-year-old girl at the home, and she was taken to Belmont Police Station and is currently assisting with inquiries. 

No charges have been laid.

The girl’s death has rocked the close-knit neighbourhood.

‘It is just beyond words,’ a neighbour who knew the girl’s family told the Sydney Morning Herald.

‘We are grieving’.

Another resident told the Newcastle Herald that no one expected anything so horrific to happen in their neighbourhood.

Others had no idea anything was wrong until multiple sirens were heard blaring down the usually quiet street.

There are no other reports of injuries, and a crime scene has been established as investigations continue, with most of the street cordoned off with police tape.

Thurston Street was expected to remain blocked off until well into the night.

Forensic officers have arrived at the home to examine and photograph the crime scene and collect potential evidence.

Photos from the scene show shocked locals gathering outside the crime scene.

A number of police vehicles remained parked in the street as detectives were seen coming and going from the home.

The latest incident follows a spate of fatal stabbings across NSW in recent weeks.

It’s been two weeks since five women and a shopping centre security guards lost their lives during a stabbing rampage at Westfield Bondi Junction.

Australia’s new Pacific Engagement Visa registration opens on 3 June

By
Kaniva Staff
-

By RNZ.co.nz and is republished with permission

Up to 3000 Pacific Island and Timor-Leste nationals will be able to register for Australia’s new Pacific Engagement Visa program from 3 June, the Australian government has announced.

It will use an online ballot to select participants, who can then apply for the visa to migrate to Australia as permanent residents.

Applicants must secure a formal ongoing job offer in Australia and meet health and character requirements before being granted a visa.

Countries participating in the first year of the programme include Federated States of Micronesia (50), Fiji (300), Nauru (100), Palau (50), Papua New Guinea (1350), Solomon Islands (150), Timor-Leste (300), Tonga (150), Tuvalu (100), Vanuatu (150), with discussions ongoing with other partners in the region.

“The Albanese government is delivering on our commitment to deepen our connections with the Pacific and Timor-Leste with the Pacific Engagement Visa,” Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said.

Minister for International Development and the Pacific Pat Conroy said the programme “demonstrates the high value Australia places on its relationship with the Pacific and Timor-Leste”.

He said it would grow Pacific and Timor-Leste diasporas in Australia, “strengthening linkages between our people and encouraging greater cultural, business, economic and educational exchange with Pacific countries”.

Conroy added the program had “transformative potential”, making Australia’s world-class education and training system more accessible for new residents under the Pacific Engagement Visa.

“Through these impacts, and by boosting remittance flows to Pacific countries, the program will also support economic development and welfare in the Pacific.”

Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs Andrew Giles said the new visa programme was an opportunity to address the under-representation of Pacific Island and Timorese nationals in Australia’s permanent migration programme.

Less than one percent of permanent migrants currently come from the region.

“The programme is in keeping with the Government’s Migration Strategy which identifies deepening Australia’s people-to-people links with the Indo-Pacific as one of eight key actions to reform the migration system,” he said.

Man died from brain injury after breathing tube inserted incorrectly

By
Kaniva Staff
-
The man died at Hawke’s Bay Hospital after 15 days on ventilation. Photo: RNZ / Tom Kitchin

Te Whatu Ora has been ordered to apologise and better train its staff after a man died from a severe brain injury due to incorrect intubation at Hawke’s Bay Hospital.

The hospital failed to provide an appropriate standard of service, Deputy Health and Disability Commissioner Dr Vanessa Caldwell found in her report released on Monday.

The man was in hospital after suffering two wounds to his back. Staff decided to run CT scans to check for internal injuries.

Because he was agitated, he was anaesthetised so emergency department staff could insert a breathing tube into his trachea – but it was incorrectly placed in his oesophagus instead.

The error was not picked up for 15 minutes, and during that time the man sustained a fatal brain injury.

After he was properly intubated, the man was placed in the intensive care unit for 15 days until his ventilation was removed and he died.

Several factors contributed to the man’s death, including included a lack of standardised equipment, better equipment not being made available, and staff members believing that certain equipment was not functioning properly, Caldwell said.

Staff could see there was an issue with the man’s blood oxygen level, but assumed the equipment they were using – a capnograph – was not working properly, because it had been broken in the past.

That was despite a trauma nurse testing the machine and demonstrating that it appeared to be working.

That information was not handed over, or not recognised by the senior staff, the report said.

Staff called for another capnograph to be brought in from another department, unaware that another piece of equipment they could have used was on the airway trolley they were using.

“I am critical that Te Whatu Ora did not ensure that there was suitable equipment for difficult airway management available in the ED [emergency department], and that there was a lack of standardised equipment across the hospital,” Caldwell said.

“I am also critical that the staff were not made aware of the equipment that was available, and that the staff were not reassured that the equipment was functional and being maintained adequately.”

Staff also did not follow the standard practice in emergency airway management, which was to remove a tube if there is any doubt intubation has been carried out properly, she said.

Te Whatu Ora should provide a written apology to the man’s whānau and regularly train emergency department and intensive care staff on “the standard practice in emergency airway management”, Caldwell wrote.

Te Whatu Ora accepted the recommendations.

It said since the man’s death, Te Whatu Ora Te Matau a Maui (Hawke’s Bay) had made several changes, including:

  • Purchasing new equipment
  • Forming an airway committee including anaesthetics, intensive care, emergency, and ear, nose and throat departments
  • Reviewing and standardising airway equipment between ED, ICU and the operating theatre
  • Establishing an equipment testing and checking regime
  • Developing difficult intubation and airways checklists
  • Introducing simulation training.

‘Tongan Pablo’ identified in corrupt Air NZ baggage crew smuggling drugs from Los Angeles into Auckland

By
Kaniva Staff
-

A Tongan man has been named as the senior baggage handler at Auckland Airport who had arranged for his criminal colleagues to import methamphetamine into Aotearoa during the Covid-19 lockdown.

A New Zealand Herald report this week has identified Sese Vimahi as the man who arranged to import 20kg of methamphetamine in a suitcase, with an estimated street value of $8 million.

“Syndicates members called Sese Vimahi the “Tongan Pablo” – in reference to infamous Columbian drug lord Pablo Escobar for his role in smuggling drugs into his country”, the Herald said.

Describing his role in the drug importation attempt, the Herald said: “A US supplier would pack meth inside luggage and have it in the bulk hold of the plane from Los Angeles. At this end, Vimahi would arrange for Air New Zealand bag handlers to find the bag and remove it without going through security.

“The rip on rip off tactics is common around the world and relies on organised crime syndicates having trusted in working at the boarder.

“Through this corrupt network, Vimahi was still able to facilitate the importation of methamphetamine on flights from Los Angeles to Auckland despite being on bail. He was arrested, for the second time, in November 2021 following a joint investigation between the National Organised Crime Group and Customs”.

The revelation comes after Stuff reported earlier this year that a baggage handler who was a key figure in trying to import methamphetamine into Aotearoa during the Covid-19 lockdown, has been jailed for 14 years.

The 47-year-old, who Stuff cannot name at the time, was arrested alongside Tongan musician Romney Fuki Fukofuka​, also known as Konecs.

At trial, the evidence showed he was a key organiser, texting instructions to Fukofuka to put the drug-ladened suitcase on the baggage carousel.

He had also arranged for his criminal colleagues, also formerly baggage handlers, to get the suitcase off the baggage carousel and deliver it to him outside the airport where he was waiting. Some were promised $20,000 for a successful drop-off.

The other co-accused were George Aloha Taukolo​, Daniel Ah Hong​ and Mark Castillo ​all previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to import methamphetamine and were each sentenced to 12 months of home detention at Manukau District Court.

Judge Richard McIlraith​ said the trio showed “genuine remorse” for the parts they played in the attempted importation.

1...170171172...951Page 171 of 951