A Tongan man is still at large after a fatal shooting outside a tobacco shop near a strip mall in Concord, California about 30 miles northeast of San Francisco, the Concord Police Department said.

Police have now launched a homicide investigation into the death of the victim, a 21-year-old man.

One suspect, a 19-year-old woman from Martinez, was arrested Tuesday evening, but a second suspect in the shooting is still at large and believed to be in Oakland, officials reportedly said.

Officials identified the second suspect as Sione “Ono” Amanaki, a 20-year-old man from Concord, the Bay Area’s The Daily reported.

Officers arrived at the scene in the area of Solano Way and Broadmoor Avenue after receiving a call at about 9.48 am. regarding gunshots, police said. 

Police said two people were found with gunshot wounds; a 21-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene, and the other person was taken to the hospital. KTVU reported that the wounded individual was the 21-year-old’s stepfather. 

Lieutenant Sean Donnelly with the Concord police told SFGATE that the surviving person is in critical condition. He said the motive is “most likely drug-related.”

Concord police said the investigation is still ongoing.

Anyone with information regarding this case may contact Detective James Nielsen with CPD’s Major Crimes Unit at 925-603-5817. CPD Case #23-2834. We also have an anonymous tip line at 925-603-5836.

The Supreme Court will hear an application for contempt of court against the Ministry of Infrastructure brought by three roading contractors on April 12.

The contractors claim the Ministry and Minister of Infrastructure Sevenitini Toumo’ua  have ignored court orders made against them.

The companies, City Engineering and Constructions Ltd, Inter Pacific Ltd and Island Dredging Ltd, were originally contracted by the previous government to work on its highly controversial  roading programme.

The present government issued a call for new tenders on September 22, 2022.

It then issued notices of termination against the three companies on January 18 this year.

The three companies brought an action against the  Ministry and Hon. Toumo’ua and earlier this year the Supreme Court ruled in their favour.

In his summary of the case, dated February 23, Lord Chief Justice Whitten said that pending the final hearing and determination of the proceedings, the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Minister were not to take any further action on an invitation for new bids for the Supply and Delivery of Coral Fills to Constituency 9, Matatoa, Kanokupolu and Masilamea Atatā.

They were ordered not act on letters purporting to be Notices of Termination dated 18 January 2023 in respect of the Contracts between it and City Engineering and Constructions Ltd and Inter Pacific Ltd.

They were also ordered to do what was necessary to resume the supply of coral fill to the three contractors.

On  March 6 2023, the three companies filed an application for leave to start proceedings against the Ministry and Hon. Toumo’ua for contempt of court on the grounds that it had failed to comply with the Supreme Court’s orders.

Lord Chief Justice Whitten said that by March 16, it appeared that all that had happened since the orders were made was that a number of meetings with Ministry staff had been conducted to discuss resumption of the works.

However, the plaintiffs had alleged with evidence, that the Minister had expressed an intention to continue with contracts let to other companies, despite an undertaking given on behalf of the Ministry that this would not happen.

“In order to consider those decisions and to enable whatever agreements or decisions that have been reached during the various meetings to date to come to fruition with, hopefully, the resumption of works, it was agreed that further consideration of the application be adjourned to 12 April 2023 at 9 am,” the Lord Chief Justice said.

A Tongan family in New Zealand is devastated after their son was shot and killed by Auckland police.

Family identified David Lolie Jr Fononga as the 26-year-old man who died.

Investigators said Police shot Fononga outside the Henderson Police Station on Friday after he shot at police officers and tried to rob a cash-in-transit Armourguard van at the Henderson Gull petrol station

Fononga’s aunty, Toe’umu Tonga, told Kaniva News Fononga, who was also known to the family by the name Leka,  was her nephew.

She said she was working with Police to confirm Fononga’s details.

“Oh how devastating to see your siblings lamenting while you are ready to leave look at us we couldn’t face it”, Toe’umu tributed her nephew in Tongan.

Toe’umu said she deeply felt for the deceased’s grandmother after she was made aware of the tragedy that killed her beloved grandson.

“Leka, where are you going to go to. This is a new day after she called your name and received no response”, Toe’umu said in Tongan, of the grandmother.

“Sleep beautifully handsome boy we deeply love you”.

“Rest in Love and Peace now our handsome nephew Leka”, a tribute from a relative said.

Waitematā District Commander Superintendent Naila Hassan said: “Our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time”.

Terror-stricken residents ducked for cover and they watched in disbelief as the gunman pointed the barrel of his firearm out his car window and targeted police as he drove around West Auckland, the NZ Herald report said.

One witness described a furious “flurry of gunfire” as the rampage was brought to an end outside the police station.

The rampage started with an attempted robbery at the Henderson Valley Rd Gull service station on Friday.

A number of police cars were riddled with pellets and one showed a blast hole near the driver’s wheel. At least one officer was injured taking evasive action to avoid being fired on.

Hassan said the shooting was an “inexcusable act of violence” where the man shot at police “at least seven” times and possibly members of the public.

Waitematā councillor Shane Henderson said the shooting had left the community on edge.

“Residents are really fearful, they’re anxious, and they want to be reassured they’re safe [after] the terrible shooting.

“At the same time, I think [people] are really thankful that the police acted swiftly and controlled the situation without either officers or the public being hurt in such a dangerous situation,” he said.

“We need to wrap our arms around our loved ones and hold them close. Remember – we’re all a community together and we will get through this.”

“It’s something we have to get a handle on.

“I’m giving [police] space at the moment, but I’ve reached out today and hopefully we’ll connect when they’re ready to talk about the more preventative measures.”

Henderson had not spoken to the gunman’s family.

“I think it’s appropriate to give people space. They have lost a loved one, like everyone. I think it would be wrong of me at this stage to bowl into a situation like that.”

Fononga was already known to police. He had charges relating to drugs and violence, Hassan said.

Police were reviewing the shootings, and the Independent Police Conduct Authority had been notified as well as WorkSafe.

They continued their appeal for images, videos and dashcam or security footage of events.

The two chief executives (CEO) of the Real Tonga and Fly Niu airlines have agreed to work together if the government sell its Lulutai airline to Fly Niu.

They believed the combination of their more than 30 years experiences in the airlines industry would help provide a viable and stable airline service.

Real Tonga CEO Tevita Palu has previously announced his company was ready to take over the Lulutai services.

Fly Niu CEO ‘Atu Finau met with Real Tonga CEO in Tonga today.

Finau said the government’s Lulutai airlines would never recover and operate viably if Australia remove its $500,000  financial subsidy in June.

Finau believed the Lulutai airlines’ troubles were huge and could not be resolved in the short term.

The airlines’ 34 seat SAAB 340B aircraft is undergoing engine repairs and is expected to be grounded for three to four months.

Finau said the aircraft was old and its spare parts were expensive. It first flew with Mesaba Airlines in the United States in 1996.

Finau told Kaniva News he was in contact with Palu and agreed to work with him.

Palu previously told Kaniva News he was willing to help Finau in whatever way he could, such as he was currently doing to other airlines in Tonga including the Airline NZ, Qantas, Fiji Airways and Lulutai.

It appears that whichever company the government sells Lulutai to, the two CEOs will work together.

Prime Minister’s responses  

The $500,000 donation by the Australian government has helped Tonga pay Fiji Airways to run a passenger service seven times a week between Tongatapu and Vava’u.

Following the Australian financial assistance critics questioned the validity of a report by the late Tu’ionetoa’s government saying that the airlines was operating at a profit.

As Kaniva News reported previously, the former Prime Minister said the government-owned Lulutai airline was making money, although he did not provide any figures to show the level of profit being generated.

The Prime Minister attributed the success of Lulutai to a new economic model he said was approved by his Cabinet.

Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku did not answer questions in Parliament recently asking him whether the airlines was operated in loss.

“’Oku mou lele lelei lele tupu pē ‘oku lele mole”, the question by Tongatapu 5 MP Dr ‘Aisake Eke said.

Dr Eke also asked the Prime Minister to confirm whether the airline would be returned to the private sector or not.

In his response, Hu’akavameiliku said the government’s interest in the airline is only to make sure the flight service needs could be met.

He said: “When it is stable, we pull back and leave it to a “mixture of shareholders””.

The Prime Minister’s response has raised more questions:

• Does this mean the government has failed to serve the country with a stable flight service?
• Why did the Prime Minister refuse to say whether the airlines is operating at a loss or is in profit?
• Is this the right time for the government to return the airlines to the private sectors while Australia is still funding its Vava’u – Tongatapu services?
• What is the Prime Minister waiting for?

Fly Niu Airlines stopped operations in 2004 after the government of Tonga granted domestic monopoly rights to Peau Vavau, which itself collapsed in 2009. This was succeeded by Real Tonga Airlines in 2013, which was forced out by the government, which installed Lulutai airlines.

Both Air Niu and Real Tonga have made several attempts to re-start their services in Tonga.

For more information

Real Tonga boss urges government to let private sector take over air transport

Real Tonga boss says he wants to revive airline

Former Tongan Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’oneteoa has died, aged 71.

He was in the US on a medical appointment when he died.

Former Minister of Internal Affairs Sangster Saulala, who is a nephew of Tu’i’onetoa’s wife told Kaniva he received a message confirming Tu’i’onetoa has died in the US.

It is understood Tu’i’onetoa suffered from what appeared to be a chronic illness last year before he requested a medical leave from Parliament.

He was the country’s 17th Prime Minister.

Prior to his US medical treatment Tu’i’onetoa was sent to St George’s Private Hospital in Sydney in 2017 after he suffered an injury while Minister of Finance in the Late Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva’s Cabinet.

READ MORE:

• Could Tongatapu 10 MP Tu‘i‘onetoa’s continued medical absence lead to another by-election? – Kaniva Tonga News
• OP-ED: Nobility MPs apparent split in election reflects strong anti-Pōhiva Tu‘i‘onetoa stance – Kaniva Tonga News
• PM Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa “has to go” says Deputy PM Vuna Fā’otusia as he and others submit vote of no confidence motion against PM – Kaniva Tonga News
• Broadcaster describes Parliamentary press release as misleading; says many questions about the House’s responsibilities not answered – Kaniva Tonga News

He underwent spinal surgery after suffering a slipped disc, which  compressed the spinal nerves.

“Surgeons fused the third, fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae together and replaced the disc between vertebrae four and five” he told Kaniva News in 2018.

Tu’i’onetoa’s tenure was characterised by a string of scandals since he became Prime Minister in 2019.

As Kaniva News has previously reported, the former Prime Minister’s multi-million pa’anga road project was mired in controversy from the start.

The Prime Minister was accused of practising nepotisms and breaching the Cabinet Manual’s conflict of interest rules. Hon. Tu’i’onetoa was accused of offering the contracts to companies which appeared to have been set up by friends and relatives of his Cabinet Ministers just to benefit from contracts.

Critics said none of them had provided roading services before.

The Hu’akavameiliku government scrapped the controversial roading project after Tu’i’onetoa was ousted in 2022.

Tu’i’onetoa was made a Fellow of the Institute of Certified Management Accountants of Australia (FCMA) in 2021.