Two people have been arrested in connection with the murder of a Tongan man in Mangere, New Zealand.
Epalahame Tu’uheava, 28, was found lying dead beside his seriously injured wife Mele Yolanda Tu’uheava, 25, on Greenwood Rd at about 6am May 1.
Also known as Hame or Abraham, the young father from Manurewa died of a gunshot to the head, while Mele suffered a number of gunshot wounds and was taken to Auckland City Hospital. She remains in hospital where she continues to recover from her injuries.
‘Epalahame’s body had been laid to rest on Wednesday.
A 24-year-old male and a 30-year-old male from South Auckland, have both been charged this morning with murder and attempted murder.
The pair are scheduled to appear in the Manukau District Court later today.
Detective Inspector Tofilau Faa Vaaelua says a dedicated team of Police staff have been working hard on this case.
“This was a violent incident that shocked the community and we hope the arrests today will provide some reassurance to the surviving victim, the families affected, as well as the wider public.
“Our investigation remains ongoing and further enquiries will continue to be made in relation to this incident.”
The 2018 Rugby Africa Gold Cup, which doubles as a Rugby World Cup 2019 qualification tournament, has launched a new trophy and brand at the AIPS congress in Brussels on Tuesday 8 May.
The Rugby Africa Gold Cup will be played across seven match days between 16 June and 18 August 2018 and features Africa’s top teams that have not already qualified for the Rugby World Cup 2019 – Namibia, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Morocco and Tunisia.
The action will get under way on 16 June at Hage Geingob Stadium in Windhoek, Namibia and the tournament will reach its exciting conclusion when the final is played on 18 August.
The winner of the competition will qualify for Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan as Africa 1, joining reigning champions New Zealand, South Africa, Italy and the repechage winner in Pool B. The Rugby Africa Gold Cup runner-up will go straight to the four-team repechage tournament in November 2018.
The striking perpetual trophy reflects the ambitions of a sport that is the fastest-growing in Africa and a region that has seen record participation growth and fan engagement over the last five years.
Since 2002 the number of African nations playing rugby has risen from six to 38, reflecting the excellent development work that has been undertaken across the region and the appetite for a sport that continues to reach, engage and inspire young people.
As part of the global Get Into Rugby programme, over 377,800 participants, supported by 4,400 coaches, were introduced to rugby across Africa in 2017 as the sport continues to go from strength to strength.
World Rugby (www.WorldRugby.org) Chairman Bill Beaumont said: “Rugby has experienced tremendous growth across Africa in recent years, helped by proactive programmes such as Get Into Rugby, and we are looking forward to witnessing a high quality Rugby Africa Gold Cup as the nations compete for the chance to qualify for the Rugby World Cup 2019 and to lift this fantastic new trophy for the first time.”
Speaking at the unveiling of the trophy, Rugby Africa Chairman Abdelaziz Bougja said: “The Rugby Africa Gold Cup trophy is the highest reward for any African rugby player and presenting this most symbolic perpetual trophy for the first time at the International Sports Press Association’ Congress and the European capital is an amazing experience in the lifetime. This perpetual trophy will honour African rugby players for generations to come.”
The new Rugby Africa Gold Cup perpetual trophy has been created to embody rugby’s values of Integrity, Respect, Solidarity, Passion and Discipline which inspire 9.1 million people to play the game worldwide. Gold plated and standing at a height of 47 centimetres (18.5 inches) and weighing 3.3 kilograms, the perpetual trophy features a smooth Georgian bodied design, complete with delicately patterned handles, an impressive stepped lid that is supplied complete with a circular solid African Mahogany base.
The Trophy has been expertly engraved with the text ‘Rugby Africa Gold Cup’ and has the shape of Africa in pride of place on the main body. It holds the names of the 17 previous winners and has space for at least seventy more winning teams’ names to be engraved on the base.
The perpetual trophy will not be the only piece of silverware on show as the Webb Ellis Cup, which is awarded to the Rugby World Cup winners, will make an appearance during the Rugby Africa Gold Cup tournament as part of the Rugby World Cup 2019 Trophy Tour.
New Zealand – Three people are in custody following an incident that began earlier this morning where a suspicious vehicle was spotted and failed to stop for Police in Mangere.
The vehicle was observed by police eagle helicopter to approach Otahuhu College at around 9.30am where three offenders were seen to enter the premise.
Two offenders were quickly apprehended however a third offender remained outstanding for a period.
“Otahuhu College and King’s College are no longer in lockdown following an incident at Otahuhu College this morning,” Inspector Matt Srhoj, Counties Manukau Police.
Armed Police, who happened to be nearby, came to assist as a precaution, while Otahuhu College and nearby King’s College were placed in lockdown also as a precaution while efforts were made to locate the third offender.
He was found a short time ago hiding in a hallway at the school.
No weapons were located on the individual.
Police would like to thank the schools and the public for their patience while police dealt with this unfolding incident.
In 2015 Kaniva News ran a story about the first Tongan All Black, Walter Batty.
Batty, who was born in Tonga in 1905, joined the New Zealand side in 1928. His father was English, but his mother was a Tongan, Luʻisa Tupou.
Now his grandson, Richard Keyworth, has shed light on Batty’s family.
Walter Batty. Photo/Supplied
“Luisa Tupou was my grandmother,” Keyworth told Kaniva News.
“My mother Hilda was Walter’s eldest sister.
“We are descended from Po’oi through Mekemeke who was my great-great-grandfather. Luisa was a cousin of Queen Salote.
“They shared the same grandmother, Ulukilupetea.
Princess Fusipala Salote’s half-sister came to Auckland for her education and attended Dio College, Keyworth said.
“Whenever the queen visited Ha’apai Luisa would move into the royal residence to be the queen’s attendant and companion.
“Luisa tried living in Auckland, but didn’t like it.
“Here she was nobody. In Tonga she was important!
“My mother, who was the same age, attended Auckland Grammar. When Fusipala was not at Dio she stayed at our family home in Ponsonby. The two girls were in the same boat and became very close! “
“Auckland in those days was a difficult place for people with brown skin, especially in Ponsonby which was a well-to-do European community.
“Walter and his siblings were subjected to racist taunts. Sport was a way out.”
Batty played six matches as a loose forward for the All Blacks, including three tests against the British and Irish Lions during their New Zealand tour of 1930, during which he scored a test try at Wellington.
He also played in a test match against Australia the following year.
An insurance agent by profession, Batty joined up and served as a sergeant in the Royal New Zealand Artillery during the Second World War.
He won the Distinguished Conduct Medal after singlehandedly holding off an attack by Italian tanks in Libya until his unit could be reinforced.
He later became A Warrant Officer First Class.
In the mid 1940s the Auckland Star published a half page article on “The Sporting Battys”
Keyworth said his family were related to the Lomus by marriage and were acknowledged as cousins by the Kahos.
“My eldest sister Edith lived and worked in Ha’apai for several years and became known as Tupou Kelo after our Grand mother. My Grandfather Gerald had red hair!”
The former Minister of Health was appointed to the ministerial posit in 1970 and he held it until he retired in 1996.
Dr Tapa established Tonga Health Dr Tapa Scholarship for students of health promotion and education.
In 2012 he was recognised by the Pacific region’s health community for his contribution to health. WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific awarded Dr Tapa with plaques of appreciation.
It said the plaques honoured him as a dedicated public health servant, colleague and true friend of WHO.
“For 26 years, Dr Tapa provided strong leadership as Tonga’s delegate to the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific. Although currently retired and living in Tonga, he has been the longest-serving delegate to the Regional Committee.”
Mako Vunipola has been honoured with a national sport award in England.
The accolade, in association with All Sport Insurance, is presented to the outstanding England player from the 2017/18 season as voted by the elite playing squad.
Vunipola played 462 minutes for Eddie Jones’ side and impressed with his ball carrying and tackling statistics.
“I’m so proud to be recognised with this award and thankful for the support shown by my team-mates,” he said.
“I cherish every moment I get to represent my country and for me there is no prouder moment than taking the pitch in an England shirt with my mates.”
In April Vunipola was named by Saracens in their team to face Bath despite being obliged to rest him according to an agreement between the Rugby Football Union and the Premiership.
“In a move that raises serious concerns over player welfare, Vunipola has been picked for the fourth week in a row following the Six Nations, even though the terms of the Professional Game Agreement (PGA), signed in 2016 between the RFU and the Premiership, suggest he must be given a break.”
The 27-year-old’s parents are Tongans and he was born in Wellington, New Zealand.
(ISLANDS BUSINESS) Moves are afoot in Tonga to set up a commercial television company.
Papua New Guinea’s Click TV has started negotiations to purchase a licence to operate in the kingdom.
Click TV’s Richard Broadbridge is expected in Tonga today to hold talks with potential partners. The move was welcomed independent radio broadcaster, Maka Tohi.
“A second TV station will allow for more local content and non-government broadcast material”, Tohi said.
“It’s a huge challenge for non-state entities to find space on the government station.
“Hopefully an independent commercial station will give us space to produce and broadcast local material.”
Tohi – former chief engineer of the state-owned Tonga Broadcasting Corporation- has close links to Broadbridge. The two worked closely during the establishment of Sky Pacific in Tonga when Broadbridge worked for Fiji TV.
Broadbridge later moved to PNG and set up the digitally based Click TV.
The company recently applied to operate a digital TV station in Kiribati. Click provides services to 1000 homes in Kiribati and is expected to set up a similar service in Tonga.
Broadbridge has remained tightlipped about his foray into the kingdom. But he is expected to meet a number of influential Tongans over the weekend. The entry of a new TV company will come at a time when media freedom is under threat in the country.
But Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva has defended his hardline stand against media companies. Pohiva said the recent dismissal of two Tonga Broadcasting Corporation officials was part of a long term vision for the kingdom’s development
The Ports Authority Tonga have paid an emotional tribute to the man who died after he was killed this morning Wednesday 9.
An Emergency service spokesperson said the victim became trapped inside a shipping container.
However, a reliable source told Kaniva News the man was crushed between two containers.
The 46-year-old man from Ma’ufanga was found dead by co-workers.
The spokesperson said Police and Emergency Services attended the incident at 9.11am.
The man’s name has yet to be officially released.
A well-known Tongan pop musician, Sālesi Kaufusi, said he and the victim were founding members of the Polynesian Sunset Band in early 1990s.
Kaufusi said the deceased, who was the keyboardist, was known to him and their band members as Manu Pupui’one Fatafehi Sasakawa Vuna or None Koko.
He said they won many singing competitions in Tonga and toured the Pacific and the United Sates to raise funds for the Tonga National Music Committee.
They finally went to Australia and some of the band members, including Kaufusi, found work there.
Kaufusi said Vuna returned to Tonga because his mother was ageing.
He was a talented keyboardist, Kaufusi said.
A statement from the Ports Authority Tonga said it could confirm the deceased was an employee of Dateline Transam Shipping Ltd.
“Ports Authority Tonga would like to offer its heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased and we pray that the love of our God enfolds the bereaved family during this very difficult time,” a spokesman said.
Tonga Police seized about $2m of methamphetamine at Fua’amotu Airport yesterday Tuesday 8.
A 59-year-old man was arrested after the seizure of 1,9kg of meth which has a street value of about $2 million pa’anga.
Cash of about TP$10,000 in different currencies was also found in the man’s possession.
Police believed the man attempted to smuggle the drugs to New Zealand.
He was arrested inside the airport’s departure lounge.
Acting Chief Superintendent Tevita Vailea said: “This seizure sends a clear message that Police, along with partner agencies will continue to work together to disrupt the supply of illicit drugs.
We can never emphasize enough that meth like any other illicit drugs is causing significant harm in our communities and we continue to encourage anyone who has information that will assist us in catching those responsible to contact us.”
The seizure comes after Police arrested a 35-year-old man with one pack of methamphetamine and 14 packs of cannabis ready to be distributed in Nuku’alofa on Monday 7, May.
Police executed a search warrant at his residence in Malapo and seized 85 packs of cannabis, 4 packs of cannabis seeds, 1 bowl with cannabis leaves and 2 cannabis pot plants.
The Drug Taskforce earlier on Monday arrested a 27-year-old man from the CBD area with 1 pack of cannabis.
“Those with any information on drug-related offending or suspicious activities are encouraged to speak in confidence to an officer at their local Police station, or contact 23417 or 25147,” Police said.
