A Pili man has been convicted for receiving stolen goods.
Nuku’alofa Central Police Station. Photo/Kalino Lātū
Manase Tongia has admitted to receiving stolen goods worth of TOP$6,610.20 from Sione Tu’ifua at Nuku’alofa Magistrates Court.
The court was told that the goods were unloaded from a delivery vehicle before they were loaded into a car last year at Pili.
Tongia was charged after his mother asked him to go in his car to Tu’ifua’s place and pick up a pram.
His mother was selling goods at a roadside market in Fanga.
Upon arrival, Tu’ifua told Tongia to take the stolen items first to another place to be sent to Ha’apai in which Tongia agreed. They also agreed for Tongia to return and pick up the pram.
Tongia dropped off the stolen goods which included packs of pairs of slippers and batteries before he left. He didn’t return to pick up the pram.
However, police arrived at the place where the stolen goods were dropped off and picked them up.
A brother of Tongia called to let him know what had happened to the stolen goods and that the police wanted to speak with him.
The Police later arrested Tongia and remanded him in custody.
He admitted to receiving the stolen goods.
Magistrate Loupua Kulī convicted Tongia of receiving and handling stolen goods.
By Leonard Powell of rnz.co.nz and is republished with permission
PayWave – the ability to make a purchase with the tap of a credit or debit card – has taken off in recent years, but with convenience, there is always a cost.
Consumer NZ says any surcharge should be clearly displayed. Photo: RNZ / Leonard Powell
The standard PayWave surcharge in New Zealand is 2.5 percent of the price of a purchase. At Remedy Coffee in Auckland city centre, the surcharge is 1.8 percent.
Owner Richard O’Hanlon said most customers still used the service.
He told First Up he saw PayWave emerging in the two years before 2020.
“And then after Covid when everything became contactless, that’s when it really hit in.”
His business pays a flat fee to the Eftpos company to use its system, but it is actually the merchant service fees charged by the banks that cover credit card and PayWave transactions that cost them the most money.
“On a quiet month, that can be $2000, $3000, and on a busy month that can be $3000 to $4000 that we have to pay as a business.
“And as a small independent coffee shop where rates are going up, wages are going up – which they should do – everything’s going up. Milk, coffee. We have to then find a way of finding that amount of money.”
Remedy Coffee owner Richard O’Hanlon. Photo: RNZ / Leonard Powell
O’Hanlon said big businesses like supermarkets and fast food chains did not bother with the surcharges because of their high volume of sales.
However, smaller outfits like his had to consider their costs carefully.
The amount retailers tack on for their surcharge is at their discretion – but Consumer NZ’s Jessica Walker said the surcharge should never be more than 2.5 percent.
“We’ve done some maths and after conversations with the Commerce Commission where we’ve landed is 2.5 percent,” she told First Up.
“So anything above 2.5 percent we would say is within the realms of excessive, but we wouldn’t expect many people who are paying by credit card to be paying 2.5 percent.
“I think that most people should be seeing like 1.5 percent, 2 percent, seems to be about the norm, but we have had complaints from people who are paying well above that 2, 2.5 percent surcharge.”
Consumer NZ said any surcharge should be clearly displayed, and asked people to get in touch if they were charged more than 2.5 percent when they used PayWave.
Tina and Tom at Tem Vietnamese. Photo: RNZ / Leonard Powell
Unlike Remedy Coffee, the popular Vietnamese restaurant Tem, also in central Auckland, does not have a surcharge for PayWave.
Co-owner Tina told First Up she was happy to cover the cost herself.
“I try and make the customer happy,” she said. “Because now there’s lots of competition, a lot of food around.
“Although you cook good, you look good, your food is healthy, your food is good, but people will look at the money.”
Apps like Apple Pay on cell phones have made PayWave even easier. Several people who spoke to First Up did not even use a wallet.
“I just don’t carry my credit card. I just have my phone all the time,” one person said.
“I’d rather leave my credit card at home… I never lose my credit card then.”
However, another said they inserted their card and entered their pin unless they were “basically on the town drinking”.
“It’s like, how much do I value my time? It’s 30 cents for an average transaction and it takes six seconds. So if you multiply that out to the hour, that’s a lot of money… much less discipline when I’m drinking.”
The Land Court has dismissed an action to overturn the validity of a lease on a tax allotment.
Sosefo Penitani challenged the validity of Lease No. 9810 registered in the name of Pohiva Uele.
The lease consists of three acres from the hereditary tax allotment he inherited after his father, Soane Penitani, who died on 13 February, 2021. The lease was registered on 26 January, 2021.
There had originally been a proposal to open a quarry on the site. One estimate put the value of the rocks in the proposed quarry at TP$2.5 million.
He claimed that the signature on the lease application was a forgery and that the lease was therefore was unlawful and of no effect.
He wanted the lease cancelled, Pohiva removed from the allotment and ordered to pay TP$1000 a year from the date of the lease.
Sosefo Penitani claimed that Pohiva’s brother, Sione, helped his brother in unlawfully obtaining and registering Lease No.9810. He said he filled out the lease form and witnessed Soane’s signature.
The defence denied the signature was forged and said Sione was helping his brother in the course of his employment and his actions were not unlawful.
Acting Lord Chief Justice Tupou told the court there was a presumption that registration was final unless it had been proven to have come about as a result of an error of law, or as a result of fraud, mistake, breach of principles of natural justice or of a promise made by the Minister or Tofi’a holder.
Judge Tupou said he did not find Sosefo Penitani a reliable witness.
“His shifting accounts were questionable and unsatisfactory,” the judge said.
The judge said Sosefo Penitani had failed to satisfy the court to a high degree of probability required that Soane’s signature on the L9 form was forged,
This story by Azaria Howell of NZ Herald appeared on rnz.co.nz
Simon Bridges received a 120km/h-plus speeding ticket days before becoming the National Party leader in 2018 which he had to disclose to the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) before being appointed as its new chair.
The former National Party leader says he learned a valuable lesson. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
Under an Official Information Act response relating to Bridges’ confirmation in March as chairman of the agency, released by the Ministry of Transport on publicly available website FYI, the 200-page document includes several emails between the ministry and the transport minister’s office.
The documents show a routine background check of the former minister and National Party leader, revealing he exceeded a 100km/h speed limit and copped 35 demerit points in 2018.
That demerit level is received when a person exceeds the limit by more than 20km/h, but less than 30km/h.
“Not progressing an individual for appointment on the basis of their driving record is ultimately a judgment call for a minister,” internal emails under the OIA reveal.
Bridges received a speeding ticket for his actions on 21 February, six days before becoming leader of the National Party.
Bridges acknowledged committing the “speeding offence” to the Herald, saying it was “some time ago”.
“I learned a valuable lesson,” he said.
Bridges told Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking he paid a “very significant fine” and had not received a ticket since then.
He could not recall the exact question NZTA asked when considering him for the role, but said it was based around whether the applicant had any “convictions and so on”.
“They may have asked me something about speeding and I would have disclosed, look, some time ago you know I did get pulled over.”
Demerit points remain active on an individual’s licence record for a period of two years from the date of the offence, and an individual needs to accumulate 100 or more active demerit points for their licence to be suspended.
Bridges did not have any active demerit points at the time of becoming chairman. However, he did while he was the party leader.
The documents released under the OIA also state four candidates, including Bridges, were shortlisted for the role of NZTA chairperson. The other three names, and information about them, was redacted. Bridges was recommended because of his experience as a senior Cabinet minister and political leader, the documents state.
Some red flags were initially raised around Bridges being appointed while being the chief executive of the Auckland Business Chamber.
“Mr Bridges has already made declarations about other conflicts which the ministry is comfortable with, but the chamber role remains of interest,” it was said, during the hiring process.
Further information revealed in the Ministry of Transport’s OIA release shows there were conflict-of-interest declarations around Bridges.
“Mr Bridges’ current roles as chief executive of the Auckland Business Chamber, chair of the National Road Carriers Association and chair of the Northern Infrastructure Forum are all conflicts of interest,” the documents said, confirming Bridges would resign from two of the three roles mentioned if he became the transport association’s chairman.
“Further discussions will need to take place concerning his conflict on the Auckland Business Chamber to determine if an effective mitigation strategy is possible.”
Potential conflicts of interest were discussed with Ministry of Transport officials, and it was later deemed there was no direct conflict of interest, as the chamber “has a strong delivery focus rather than a policy focus”.
The Chamber of Commerce does not have an active work programme on transport.
Bridges committed to refrain from making any public statement on transport in his role as the Auckland chamber’s chief executive.
A letter from Transport Minister Simeon Brown to Bridges at the time of his appointment as NZTA’s chairman states he does not have “any unmanageable conflicts of interest”.
Following an interview with Bridges, Ministry of Transport principal adviser Jono Reid, in an email released under the OIA, said, ” think we may still need to do a bit of work to be fully comfortable. The challenge we did not discuss is the potential for the chamber board’s strategic direction to change and how it could conflict with NZTA’s role.”
“That may never fully absolve [Bridges] for a conflict, and even if the role is okay now, could provide challenges at a later date,” Reid said during the hiring process.
A Ministry of Transport spokesperson confirmed Bridges had disclosed the driving offence during the appointment process of becoming the chairman of NZTA.
Brown confirmed Simon Bridges disclosed his February 2018 speeding ticket as part of the NZTA appointment process in March 2024.
“Mr Bridges received the February 2018 speeding ticket for one offence in which he exceeded the 100km/h limit,” Brown said in a statement to NZME.
All Blacks winger Emoni Narawa has extended his contract with New Zealand Rugby and the Chiefs until the end of 2026.
Emoni Narawa of the Chiefs scores a try during the Super Rugby Pacific round 7 match between the Chiefs and Moana Pasifika at FMG Stadium in Hamilton, New Zealand on Saturday April 06, 2024. Copyright photo: Aaron Gillions / www.photosport.nz Photo: Aaron Gillions / www.photosport.nz
Narawa has had another strong Super Rugby Pacific season, scoring eight tries in just seven appearances this year to sit in the top three for tries scored in the 2024 competition.
“It is fantastic that Emoni has recommitted to the Chiefs for the next few years. He has always had massive potential, and it has been a real pleasure seeing that talent realised over the last few seasons, exemplified by his selection as an All Black in 2023,” said Chiefs head coach Clayton McMillan.
Narawa joins fellow outside backs Shaun Stevenson and Etene Nanai-Seturo in re-committing to the Chiefs.
“Emoni has an unbelievable ability to see space and create opportunities for himself and others. He is a valued team member and a real character who contributes significantly both on and off the field,” McMillan said.
“Many people have contributed to Emoni’s journey, but none more so than his young family. They have given him stability and a real purpose in life and we are grateful they too will continue to be a part of the Chiefs whānau.”
Narawa, who was named in last year’s All Blacks World Cup squad before being ruled out of the tournament with injury, was excited to be continuing his career in Aotearoa.
“I’m really blessed and grateful for the opportunity to extend my time with the Chiefs until 2026. This club is our family and has definitely helped me become the player that I am today. God is good, excited for what’s to come.”
Iran’s semi-official ISNA news agency publishes footage purporting to show rescue crews speeding through a misty, rural forest to reach the site where a helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is believed to have crashed.
Bad weather – with heavy fog and rain – is hampering the efforts of rescue teams to get to the accident site in the mountains in the north west of Iran.
The condition of those on board the helicopter remains unknown for now, with reports that no contact has yet been made.
President Raisi was travelling with the Iranian foreign minister in a convoy of three helicopters over the area – two of the helicopters are reported to have landed safely.
Raisi was elected president on his second attempt in 2021.
He is seen as a hardliner and regarded as a potential successor one day to Ayatollah Khamenei as Supreme Leader.
Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi is considered a hardline cleric with ultra-conservative political views.
Raisi, 63, became the deputy prosecutor in Tehran when he was only 25. He went on to serve as Tehran’s prosecutor, then head of the State Inspectorate Organisation and first deputy head of the judiciary, before being appointed prosecutor general of Iran in 2014.
Raisi surprised observers by standing for the presidency for the first time in 2017 and came second. In 2019, Ayatollah Khamenei named him to the powerful position of head of the judiciary.
He was elected Iran’s president in June 2021.
What we know so far
A helicopter carrying President Ebrahim Raisi has had to make a “hard landing” after it got in difficulties, state media reports.
The details of what happened remain unclear, but here’s a look at what we know so far:
According to local media, Raisi was heading to the city of Tabriz, in the north west of Iran, after returning from the border with Azerbaijan, where he opened the Qiz Qalasi and Khodaafarin dams
The helicopter was one of three travelling in a convoy
Iran’s interior minister says rescuers are still trying to reach the site, but their efforts are being hampered by poor weather conditions
A reporter with Fars news agency says visibility in the mountainous and wooded area was down to only about five meters. The area is about 50km to the north of Tabriz
Ahmad Alirezabeigi, an Iranian MP for the city of Tabriz, says that emergency rescue workers have yet to find the location of the helicopter carrying the president
He says two other two helicopters in the convoy landed safely
Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk celebrates his victory over Britain’s Tyson Fury during a heavyweight boxing world championship fight at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Photo: FAYEZ NURELDINE / AFP
Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury by split decision on Sunday to become the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in 24 years.
Usyk (22-0) added Fury’s WBC title to his own WBA, IBF and IBO belts with a spectacular late rally highlighted by a ninth-round knockdown in a back-and-forth bout between two previously unbeaten heavyweight champs. Two judges favoured Usyk, 115-112 and 114-113, while the third gave it to Fury, 114-113.
“It’s a great time. It’s a great day,” Usyk said.
Usyk started quickly, but then had to survive while the confident, charismatic Fury dominated the middle rounds. Usyk rallied in the final rounds, just as the Ukrainian Olympic gold medalist has done so many times in his career, taking control with a dominant eighth and nearly stopping Fury in the ninth.
Usyk hurt Fury (34-1-1) with a left hand and eventually sent him sprawling into a corner in the final seconds of the round, getting credit for a knockdown right before Fury was saved by the bell. Fury made it to the 10th, but he struggled to mount a consistent attack after nearly getting stopped.
“Thank you so much to my team,” Usyk said while fighting back tears in the ring. “It’s a big opportunity for me, for my family, for my country. Slava Ukraini!”
Fury kissed Usyk on the head after the final bell. Fury also said he wants the rematch in October.
“I believe I won that fight,” Fury said. “I believe he won a few of the rounds, but I won the majority of them, and I believe it was one of those what-can-you-do, one of them … decisions in boxing. We both put on a good fight, best we can do.
“You know, his country is at war, so people are siding with a country at war. But make no mistake, I won that fight, in my opinion, and I’ll be back. I’ve got a rematch clause.”
Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk (R) fights against Britain’s Tyson Fury during a heavyweight boxing world championship fight at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on May 19, 2024. Oleksandr Usyk beat Tyson Fury by split decision to win the world’s first undisputed heavyweight championship in 25 years on May 19, 2024, an unprecedented feat in boxing’s four-belt era. (Photo by Fayez NURELDINE / AFP) Photo: FAYEZ NURELDINE / AFP
The 37-year-old Usyk is the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis held the honor for five months in 1999 and 2000. He is also now the lineal heavyweight champion by beating Fury, who beat Wladimir Klitschko to earn that distinction in 2015.
Usyk is six inches (15cm) shorter than the 6-foot-9 (2.05m) Fury, and he weighed in 30 pounds (13.6kg) lighter than the hulking British star this week. The size difference didn’t matter to Usyk, who has used his athleticism and skill to counter every challenge he has faced since moving up from cruiserweight to heavyweight in 2019.
Usyk landed 41 percent of his 407 punches, while Fury landed just 31.7 percent of his 496 punches, according to CompuBox statistics. Usyk both threw (260 to 210) and landed (122 to 95) more power punches.
Usyk upset Anthony Joshua to win three title belts in 2021, and he kept them through two defenses while angling for the ultimate payday of a fight against Fury in Saudi Arabia.
Usyk has now joined the elite club of fighters who held every major world championship belt at heavyweight – and he is the first to do it in the four-belt era, which began in 2007. The list of undisputed champions includes Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Floyd Patterson, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier and Mike Tyson.
The most recent undisputed heavyweight champ was Lewis, who beat Evander Holyfield in late 1999 and enjoyed a five-month reign. He soon lost a title because of the territorial squabbles that have beset boxing for the past quarter-century and routinely prevented the biggest fights from happening.
Fury and Usyk both asked for this matchup, and they finally got together in the ring largely because of the involvement of Saudi Arabia, which made the financial rewards simply too great for the fighters’ typically recalcitrant promoters and the sanctioning bodies to reject. Fury will reportedly make more than US$100 million for the bout.
To reach the lucrative Western pay-per-view audience, the bout didn’t begin until 1:45am on Sunday morning at Kingdom Arena.
The Defence Force (NZDF) will fly into New Caledonia to bring home New Zealanders while commercial services are not operating.
Winston Peters. Photo: RNZ NICK MONRO
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says New Zealand is waiting for the go-ahead from French authorities, based on safety.
“Ever since the security situation in New Caledonia deteriorated earlier this week, the safety of New Zealanders there has been an urgent priority for us,” Peters wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
“NZ authorities have now completed preparations for flights using NZDF aircraft to bring home New Zealanders in New Caledonia while commercial services are not operating.
“We are ready to fly, and await approval from French authorities as to when our flights are safe to proceed.”
Peters urged any Kiwis in New Caledonia not already registered with SafeTravel to do so.
“Those already registered should update their details if their circumstances change.”
The unrest was sparked by anger at a proposed new law that would allow French residents who have lived there for more than 10 years to vote – which some say will weaken the Kanak vote.
There are currently 242 New Zealanders registered on SafeTravel as being in New Caledonia.
In a post on social media platform X, Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said the Australian government was “working with authorities in France and New Caledonia, and like-minded partners including New Zealand, to assess options for Australians to safely depart.”
Police are urgently appealing for sightings of missing woman Milika.
Milika, aged 25, is missing from her home in Great South Road, Ōtāhuhu.
She was last seen on the morning of May 9 and there are significant concerns for her welfare.
If you think you’ve seen Milika since the morning of 9 May, or have any information which might help us find her, please call 111 and quote file number 240509/3212.
A woman who was intoxicated and speeding while her partner attempted to grab the steering wheel of the vehicle as they argued has been sent to jail.
Angilau pulled the steering wheel towards her to regain control, causing the vehicle to veer off to the right side of the road toward the University of the South Pacific campus.
Tepi Angilau was imprisoned for 10-months for causing serious bodily harm to her partner Viliami Lehā’uli.
A court document shows that on or about 25 August, 2023, at approximately 2pm, Angilau and Leha’uli as well as others were drinking alcohol at a tax allotment at Pelehake.
At around 9pm, they moved to Laulea Beach at Fua’amotu to continue drinking. The group travelled in Viliami’s vehicle, license number R1949.
Shortly after arriving at Laulea, Angilau and Lehā’uli left the group to pick up Siutita Nusi from Tatakamotonga in the same vehicle. After they picked Nusi up, they went to get a change of clothes for Angilau from Lehā’uli’s house. Lehā’uli, then drove them to Ciora Bar in Nuku’alofa.
At the Ciora Bar, Angilau and Lehā’uli were barred from entering as they were inebriated.
The party made their way back to Pelehake travelling on Taufa’ahau Road. Angilau was driving with Lehā’uli seated at the front passenger seat and Nusi seated at the back seat.
Angilau was speeding. Her passengers, Lehā’uli and Nusi cautioned and urged her to drive carefully but Angilau persisted. That escalated to an argument between Angilau and Lehā’uli.
As they approached the Tonga College at Ha’ateiho, Lehā’uli attempted to take charge of the steering wheel to stop the vehicle. Angilau resisted causing the vehicle to swerve left and right along the Taufa’ahau Road, heading east.
Angilau pulled the steering wheel towards her to regain control, causing the vehicle to veer off to the right side of the road toward the University of the South Pacific campus. The vehicle crashed onto the sidewalk, flipped sideways towards a nearby fence, hitting a palm tree and landed back on its wheels.
As the vehicle flipped sideways, Angilau and Lehā’uli were catapulted out of the vehicle while Nusi remained in the back passenger seat. All three were rushed to the hospital.
Angilau was tested for alcohol, her reading came back at 720 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath.
Angilau and Nusi sustained abrasions and bruising to their face and chest. Lehā’uli sustained a severe bilateral lung contusion with a right hemopneumothorax, soft tissue injury to his right shoulder and right flank, and multiple abrasions to his right lower back, left chest, left shoulder and abdomen.
Angilau cooperated with the Police and admitted to the offending. At the time of the accident, she did not have a valid driver’s license.
Acting Chief Justice Petunia Tupou convicted and sentenced Angilau as follows:
a) One count of causing serious bodily injury while driving under the influence of alcohol and is sentenced to 3 years imprisonment; and
b) One count of driving a motor vehicle without a valid motor driver’s license and is fined $200 payable within 6 months from the date of her release from prison.
The final 26 months of her sentence is suspended for a period of two years from the date of her release from prison, on conditions that during the said period of suspension, Angilau is to:
a) Not commit any offence punishable by imprisonment;
b) Be placed on probation;
c) Report to the Probation Office within 48 hours when released from prison; and
d) Complete courses in drug and alcohol awareness as directed by her probation officer;
Failure to comply with any of the said conditions may result in the suspension being rescinded, in which case, the Defendant will be required to serve her head prison sentence.
Subject to compliance with the said conditions and any remissions available under the Prisons Act, Angilau will be required to serve 10 months in prison.
Pursuant to s34(2) of the Traffic Act, Angilau is disqualified from obtaining a driver’s license for a period of 12 months commencing on the date she is released from prison.
