Auckland, NZ – Tongan man Lasalosi Vaitohi has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum non-parole period of 17 years for orchestrating a gang retaliation from behind bars that ended with an innocent 75-year-old grandfather being shot dead at his Ōtāhuhu home.

The High Court at Auckland sentenced Vaitohi on July 16 after he pleaded guilty to the murder of Peter Rasmussen. Justice Tracey Walker said Vaitohi was not the gunman but, while already serving a prison sentence, planned an attack targeting Rasmussen’s grandson.

The Court was told Vaitohi was a high-ranking member of a faction of the Crips gang. The planned attack was retaliation after Rasmussen’s grandson, a Killer Beez member, and others were involved in a stand-over and robbery of methamphetamine from one of Vaitohi’s co-defendants.

Over several days in August 2021, Vaitohi communicated with associates from prison as they planned the retaliation, discussing the target’s address, obtaining a firearm and finding a vehicle.

The Court heard Vaitohi knew the grandparents lived at the Ōtāhuhu property but said he did not care. He later asked associates whether they would take a firearm to the property and “see if you can get him too”, referring to Rasmussen’s grandson.

On August 22, 2021, associates obtained a shotgun and a Ford Falcon before travelling to the house.

Rasmussen came to a side door shortly before 5pm, where one of Vaitohi’s co-defendants fired the shotgun, striking him in the right leg. Bleeding heavily, Rasmussen managed to move from the doorway into the kitchen, where he lay dying. The group drove away about two minutes later.

Justice Walker found the murder involved calculated and lengthy planning, saying Vaitohi had spent about five days organising the attack, including sourcing a firearm, identifying where the intended target lived and arranging transport.

The judge described the shooting as an organised gang “hit” motivated by retribution connected with methamphetamine dealing and stressed that Rasmussen was an innocent 75-year-old victim standing at the threshold of his own home.

She rejected an argument that Vaitohi’s culpability should be distinguished from that of the person who fired the shotgun, finding his encouragement and facilitation were central to what happened.

“Any distinction loses potency when Mr Vaitohi was clearly instrumental in, if not the orchestrator of these events,” Justice Walker said.

The Court was also told Vaitohi had more than 60 previous convictions and had offended every year between 2006 and 2018. Justice Walker said his record, combined with his calculated directions to gang associates, demonstrated the need to protect the public.

Vaitohi initially pleaded not guilty. A 2025 trial ended without verdicts after the jury was unable to reach a decision. He eventually entered a guilty plea on May 13 this year, more than four years after his first court appearance.

In an unusual development at sentencing, Vaitohi entered the courtroom but left within minutes and chose to remain in the cells. The judge allowed proceedings to continue after being satisfied that he had voluntarily declined to participate and that standby counsel had made submissions on his behalf.

Justice Walker ultimately found that the circumstances triggered the statutory requirement for a minimum term of at least 17 years and that imposing that period would not be manifestly unjust.

Award-winning Tongan-Fijian journalist Indira Stewart has revealed she has been undergoing treatment for an aggressive form of breast cancer, sharing her experience publicly to encourage women to get checked and not delay mammograms.

The 41-year-old TVNZ journalist disclosed that she was diagnosed with Grade 3 breast cancer in January and began chemotherapy just two weeks later.

“January is now a blur to me,” Stewart wrote in an emotional social media post, alongside photographs taken just days before she began chemotherapy.

She said the tumour was aggressive and that much of her life this year had been spent at home undergoing treatment.

Stewart revealed that she had managed to keep her illness largely private, including from some friends and family members who would learn of her diagnosis through her public announcement.

When she did go out, she said she used false eyelashes and drew on eyebrows, while cold-capping treatment helped preserve about half of her hair.

The cancer treatment also brought major changes she had not expected at her age, including early menopause and undergoing a mastectomy.

Despite the difficult journey, Stewart said she remained grateful and was continuing chemotherapy alongside other treatment.

Her decision to reveal the diagnosis carried a wider message for women and families, particularly in communities where health checks can sometimes be delayed.

“This is a reminder to get checked fam, get your mammogram if you’re eligible and don’t put it off,” she said.

Stewart is one of New Zealand’s prominent Pacific journalists and has worked at TVNZ since 2020. She is currently an In-Depth Multimedia Reporter and has previously presented TVNZ’s Breakfast and Midday news programmes.

Her Tongan upbringing has featured strongly in her journalism and public storytelling. Stewart has previously written about growing up around the New Lynn Tongan Methodist Church, where her father conducted the church choir and Tongan music and language became an important part of her identity.

She has also spoken publicly about how, as a young Tongan woman, she did not initially see journalism as a possible career because she had not seen women like herself represented on mainstream television.

Her work has since earned significant recognition. Stewart won the Le Mana Pacific Award for Pasifika journalism at the New Zealand media awards for a third consecutive year in 2026, following wins in 2024 and 2025.

Her disclosure now places her own experience at the centre of a deeply personal message: for women not to postpone breast checks and to undergo mammography when eligible.

Stewart said that although the treatment journey still felt long, she felt “lucky and grateful”.

Tonga’s darts community is mourning the death of promising young player Tuʻilea, who died over the weekend.

The Tonga Darts Association announced his death in a tribute, describing Tuʻilea as a young, up-and-coming member of Tonga’s “darting family” whose life had been cut short.

Kaniva News understands that his full name was Fituʻilea Kilifi Jr Kalavaki.

Tuʻilea had played for the highly competitive Nakolo Raiders and most recently competed in the Heilala Open, where he advanced to the knockout stages.

The association said his performances demonstrated considerable “skill, talent and promise”.

“His time with us was far too short,” the association said as it extended its sympathy and condolences to Tuʻilea’s family, friends and teammates.

The circumstances surrounding his death were not disclosed in the association’s announcement.

Members of the darts community are also being invited to support Tuʻilea’s family, with a donation box being made available at a darts gathering following the announcement.

The association said contributions would go towards helping his family during the difficult period.

Tributes have since poured in from members of Tonga’s darts community, with players remembering Tuʻilea not only for his talent but also for his personality.

Among those paying tribute was David Corbett, who partnered Tuʻilea during the Heilala tournament and remembered him as a “good darts player”, saying the young player had carried much of the workload during their partnership.

Tuʻilea was also remembered for his personality, with fellow darts player Derek Leonard describing him as a “beautiful talent, taken too soon” whose unassuming attitude and quick smile would not be forgotten.

The loss was particularly painful for those close to him. Mele Sopu described Tuʻilea as her “little brother”, saying he would be deeply missed and sending her love in a heartfelt farewell.

Condolences continued to fill the Tonga Darts Association’s announcement, with Vinesh Prasad, Mele Chambers, Deborah Akeimo, Edward Roxburgh and others expressing sympathy to his family and the wider darts community.

Tuʻilea’s death has brought an early end to what the association regarded as a promising future in the sport, following his recent appearance among the knockout-stage competitors at the Heilala Open.

A whale-watching boat carrying passengers has been involved in an accident in Vavaʻu today, raising fresh safety concerns following two other serious boating incidents in Tonga in recent weeks.

Neiafu Town Officer Vava Lapota told Kaniva News that passengers were on board the vessel when the accident occurred, but no loss of life had been reported.

Images from the scene, obtained by Kaniva News, show the stricken vessel partially submerged in choppy waters, with much of the boat sitting low beneath the surface and its canopy tilted into the sea.

Orange-red flotation or safety equipment can be seen around the vessel. Other boats carrying several people are also visible nearby, including one positioned close to the partially submerged vessel, as waves break around the boats.

Details remained limited, including how the accident occurred, how many passengers were aboard, and whether police were called to the scene.

The licensing status of the vessel involved in today’s accident has yet to be confirmed.

The latest incident comes after the Ministry of Tourism repeatedly sought to distinguish licensed whale-watching operators from other boating activities, clarifying that vessels involved in two recent incidents in Tonga were not licensed to conduct whale-watching services.

The Ministry’s clarifications followed concerns that the incidents could be associated with Tonga’s licensed whale-watching industry. One of the vessels was involved in an incident last month while carrying passengers, including Anglican Church members visiting from New Zealand.

Tonga’s Ministry of Tourism subsequently said the vessel and operator were not licensed or authorised to conduct whale-watching and swimming activities.

The second incident occurred earlier this month and claimed the life of Vaiola Hospital nurse Siokapesi Hefa after a newly launched boat overturned during an outing.

The latest accident comes just over a year after the whale-watching vessel Tethys capsized south of Muʻamoa in Vavaʻu in August 2025. No casualties were reported in that incident, and the vessel was later towed back to port.

At the time, Lapota had raised concerns about the need for closer inspection of some vessels operating in the area.

Kaniva News is seeking further information about today’s Vavaʻu accident, including the vessel’s licensing status and the condition of those who were on board.

Tongan lawyer Lance Talakai has been appointed by Utah Governor Spencer Cox to serve as a judge of the state’s Third District Juvenile Court.

Talakai’s appointment carries particular significance for Utah’s Tongan community. The Third District includes Salt Lake County, which the 2020 United States Census recorded as having 12,859 people identifying as Tongan alone or in combination — the largest Tongan population of any county in the United States.

The Third District Juvenile Court is a major part of Utah’s state judiciary, serving Salt Lake, Summit and Tooele counties and dealing with cases ranging from serious youth offending to child abuse, neglect, custody and other matters affecting vulnerable children and families.

Talakai was selected to fill the vacancy left by the retirement of Judge David Johnson, after being among five candidates nominated for the position by the Third District Judicial Nominating Commission. His appointment is subject to confirmation by the Utah Senate.

Governor Cox said Talakai’s extensive courtroom experience, including his work on serious youth offender cases, would be valuable to Utah families.

“Lance has spent his career serving people at some of the most consequential moments of their lives,” Cox said in announcing the appointment.

Talakai has spent the past 14 years as a defence attorney with the Salt Lake Legal Defender Association, where he has represented people facing felony and misdemeanor charges as well as serious youth offender cases.

His experience has also included leadership positions as a felony team leader and co-misdemeanor chief, along with recruiting, training and supervising new lawyers.

Talakai said he was deeply humbled by the appointment and particularly grateful for the opportunity to serve the district where he grew up.

He said that, if confirmed, he would carry out the judicial role with compassion, fairness, integrity and humility, while ensuring young people and families appearing before the court were treated with dignity and respect.

Before joining the Salt Lake Legal Defender Association in 2012, Talakai worked with the Utah County Public Defender and served as a law clerk for Utah’s Fourth District Court.

He holds a law degree from Brigham Young University’s J. Reuben Clark Law School and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Hawaii at Mānoa.

The Utah Senate subsequently sought public submissions on Talakai’s appointment, with its Judicial Confirmation Committee scheduled to consider his nomination before making a recommendation to the full Senate.

The committee formally considered Talakai’s appointment at its September 11 meeting as part of the Senate confirmation process.

A 43-year-old man has pleaded guilty to murdering his wife after shooting her nine times with a .22 firearm at their home in Vavaʻu earlier this year.

Kilisimasi ʻOneʻone appeared before Justice Tupou KC at the Supreme Court in Neiafu on Wednesday, September 16, where he admitted murdering his wife, Trina Diana ʻOneʻone, also 43.

The accused’s court appearance appeared to be his first since the fatal shooting on May 7, during which one of their daughters was also reportedly injured after allegedly trying to intervene.

Matangi Tonga reported that the court was told that ʻOneʻone caused his wife’s death by shooting her nine times with a .22 firearm.

The murder case shocked communities in Tonga and abroad and has been widely covered by Pacific media, including news outlets in New Zealand and Australia.

ʻOneʻone is expected to be sentenced in January 2027.

Fiji has declared its escalating HIV epidemic a national emergency after new estimates showed one in every 60 adults is living with the virus, a development with particular relevance to Tonga because of the close and longstanding movement of people between the two Pacific nations.

Fiji is an important regional education hub for Tonga, with many Tongan students studying at the University of the South Pacific’s main Laucala campus in Suva over the years.

The two countries also maintain extensive family, educational, sporting, religious and other connections, making Fiji’s worsening HIV epidemic an issue of wider regional significance.

Fiji’s Minister for Health and Medical Services, Dr Atonio Lalabalavu, announced the national emergency after evidence showed the epidemic had reached a level requiring a stronger and more coordinated response.

An estimated one in every 60 adults in Fiji is now living with HIV, compared with one in 167 five years ago.