A Tongan man who lived in Papatoetoe, New Zealand and who was gunned down at Beatty Street, Ōtāhuhu Sunday 23 was laid to rest today Saturday 29 at the Manukau Memorial Gardens.
‘Aleki Moala (inset)
Two men , aged 26 and 28, charged with his murder have made separate appearances yesterday Friday 28 at the Manukau District Court.
Police were called to the house before ‘Aleki (Alec) Junior Moala, 31, was found with critical injuries and died at the scene.
Family and friends expressed their frustration during the farewell service today.
Many spoke about how they found it hard to see their loved one dying in such a brutal and violent way.
A church minister told mourners that having patience and pardoning each other is paramount.
“Let God rule in our life,” the church minister said in Tongan.
During the service which was also livestreamed on Facebook a man appeared and spoke via video link.
He was said to be one of Aleki’s brothers who is currently in one of the prisons here in New Zealand.
The deceased’s father told Herald his son died after he possibly went to help a woman who was being attacked.
Naeata Moala said he was not angry and believed his son died for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
He also said several other stories were circulating, and it was difficult to know what to believe.
Neighbours described hearing three loud bangs about 2.15am Sunday 23.
“There were two quick shots, one after the other, then quiet, then another loud bang. Then we heard the screaming,” Si Allen, who lives on an intersecting street, said at the time, Stuff reported.
“I tried to tell myself it was just a car backfiring, but my wife said ‘no, those were gunshots’. So we just hid inside.”
He said it was “pretty scary” an incident like this could occur so close by.
Other residents speculated the killing was gang-related but they were unable to provide proof of this, the Herald reported.
The family of mixed martial arts fighter Liufau Tu’iha’angana Vake has reportedly been split over allegations about the four men involved in the assault that ended his life.
Liufau Tu’iha’angana Vake (inset)
It is understood that the claims have divided the fighter’s maternal family and part of the paternal family.
It is understood that some family members were barred from attending the funeral service.
Kaniva News has been reliably told that members of the paternal family arrived at hospital to see Liufau’s body, but were told to leave.
It is believed that two separate prayer, cultural and farewell services were conducted this week because of the row.
It is understood the paternal family held their own prayers and vigils in Manurewa while Liufau’s body was on view at his residence in Kelston before it was buried.
When contacted, a family member told Kaniva News they did not want to report the feud out of respect for their elderly and mātu’a.
Kaniva News would like to remind social media users that they are subject to the same rules governing libel and slander as everybody else.
Burial services
Liufau’s body was buried today, May 28, at the Waikumete Cemetery in Auckland.
Speeches delivered during his memorial services last night showed how hard it was for his family to see one of their members who had been described as a rising star in his field dying in a very brutal and violent way.
He was described as “always quick to offer a hand of help to another.”
Some recalled the tough moment at hospital when they asked doctors to continue to keep Liufau on life support to give them more chance to pray to God for a miracle and that he would live, but it did not happen.
The church minister at the service acknowledged the grief of losing someone so young and someone who had much to live for.
But he told mourners to remember where their loved one is now – free from pain.
“Liufau is truly, truly free now.”
Hundreds of mourners said their final goodbye to the fallen promising mixed martial arts fighter today.
His black casket was decked with the Coat of Arms of Tonga and the symbol of his gym, City Kickboxing.
Champion Israel Adesanya and Tongan boxer Junior Fa were two of New Zealand’s top fighters who attended Fau’s funeral services.
The 25-year-old died at the weekend, a week after allegedly being assaulted in central Auckland in the early hours of Sunday, May 16.
Additional charges yet to be made
Vake’s funeral comes as Police said they were due to lay more charges in relation to the incident in due course.
Four men have been charged and appeared in the Auckland District Court on the Monday after the incident on Symonds St.
One was charged with common assault, another with two counts of assaulting with intent to injure, another charged with wounding with intent and injuring with intent, and another is also charged with common assault.
Three of the men are aged 29. The fourth is a 32-year-old.
It is understood any additional charges will be filed before the next court date on June 8.
Aotearoa New Zealand is working in partnership with Pacific countries to support their COVID-19 responses and build resilience for the future.
New Zealand High Commissioner HE Tiffany Babington handed over a signed Grant Contribution letter of NZ$1,600,000 to Tonga’s Ministry of Health (MoH) Acting CEO, Dr Reynold ‘Ofanoa and Medical Superintendent, Dr ‘Ana ‘Akau’ola, for the construction of a new Central Pharmacy Warehouse under Tonga’s National Deployment and Vaccine Plan (NDVP). Photo/Supplied
New Zealand, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), is providing this contribution in response to Tonga MoH’s request to fund its National Pandemic Deployment and Vaccination Plan for Pandemic Influenza Vaccines (NDVP), which includes the construction of a Central Pharmacy Warehouse as part of its COVID-19 preparedness and response activities.
The Central Pharmacy Warehouse will provide a central location for receiving and distributing medicine and medical supplies across Tonga’s health facilities in all island groups. The warehouse will also store vaccines in refrigeration. The warehouse will be fit for purpose and keep stock safe from natural hazards and climate change risks.
This funding support is in addition to support that has already been provided by New Zealand, including:
NZ$4 million in budget support for the Government’s COVID-19 stimulus package.
NZ$100,000 from our Emergency High Commission or Embassy Fund to the Ministry of Health for a medical waste collection truck.
NZ$1 million to MoH’s pandemic preparedness and response plan.
NZ$550,000 worth of PPE
NZ$1 million to support implementation of the WHO Pacific Regional Preparedness and Response Plan
NZ$1 million to support WHO purchase GeneXpert machines and cartridges which have given Pacific Island countries, including Tonga, COVID-19 testing capability
New Zealand COVID-19 vaccine support for Polynesia and the Pacific including through COVAX
This funding contribution for the construction of a new warehouse is made available under the New Zealand Aid Programme’s COVID-19 Preparedness & Vaccines Fund.
Keeping safe has been the driving principle behind Aotearoa New Zealand’s COVID-19 response at home, and in our region.
Closing borders and protecting our people has come at a cost to the region. We are contributing funding support to Pacific countries on a country-by-country basis. Governments are able to determine where this is needed most according to their individual circumstances, to help alleviate the health, economic and social challenges resulting from the pandemic, and drive recovery and resilience.
Throughout the pandemic, Aotearoa New Zealand is continuing to adapt its economic and health system support to meet country and regional needs.
New Zealand is committed to working with Tonga to respond to the immediate economic and social impacts of COVID-19, to assist Tonga be well prepared should COVID-19 enter the Kingdom, and to build resilience for the future.
Tonga government said its last minute decision to cancel an agreement with Air Vanuatu to bring back a group of Tongan citizens stranded in Vanuatu, was made after a final decision by the kingdom’s Ministry of Health.
It said when the Air Vanuatu special flight arrived in Tonga today the quarantine facilities were already full with passengers who were repatriated back to Tonga on May 5.
Communication and Information CEO Paula Ma’u told Kaniva News the special flight was chartered by a Ni Vanuatu expatriate in Tonga to return his deceased father to Vanuatu.
Vanuatu citizens who were stranded in Tonga have returned home on that special flight.
Ma’u said the flight schedule was organised by the expatriate and the government assisted in facilitating the authorisation process and protocol.
Ma’u said there was no planned repatriation flight from Vanuatu.
He said they have announced Tonga’s next repatriation flights which included June 2, 3 and July 30,
“This was not a repatriated flight or a flight arranged by the government”, Ma’u said of the Vanuatu special flight.
The last moment
But the last minute cancellation on Wednesday 26 before the flight left on Thursday 27 has knocked the Air Vanuatu authorities and families of the Tongan passengers sideways.
Some have taken to social media to vent out their frustration and anger. Some have called on the Prime Minister to resign.
One commenter asked whether the government was nonplussed after the king reprimanded parliament recently.
“I refer to your email around midday today with the decision to deny carrying of Tongan citizen on the above flight and date,” an e-mail by the Air Vanuatu First Officer Luseane Fetuani in response to Tonga’s Director of the Ministry of Communication Officer Andrew To’imoana read.
“You already know how many repatriation flights there are into Tonga until the end of the year and how many people want to be in Tonga at any one time,” Fetuani said.
“With this knowledge in hand, I am wondering why were we strung along for this very costly exercise. Totally unacceptable.
“The least you could have done is let us know last week . . . even on Monday 24th before people went ahead and paid money that cannot be refunded; money that came from students, church workers, half pay workers and people who lost their jobs.”
As Kaniva News reported last night Fetuani has asked for the decision to be reconsidered.
“It has been a very stressful couple of weeks for some, trying to get this flight organised. Tongan nationals here have paid their tickets and did Covid-19 tests to be in line with your requirement”.
Fetuani told To’imoana it costs VT$25,000 per person, the equivalent to TP$500 for a Covid-19 test.
Air Vanuatu’s CEO ‘Atu Fīnau has described the late cancellation in an email to the Prime Minister as “cruel.”
“This would appear to be cruel timing and an incredibly insensitive decision.”
He said Air Vanuatu helped Tonga a lot and an Air Vanuatu was scheduled to arrive in Tonga tomorrow to fly 162 Tongans to Perth, Australia to join the Australian Seasonal Worker programme.
He said they flew 162 from Tonga to Australia in April.
The government is working on a proposal for the repatriated passengers to pay their stay at managed isolation facilities, the CEO of the Ministry of Communication and Information Paula Ma’u told Kaniva News.
MEIDECC CEO Paula Ma’u
This is part of an action plan the government has proposed in an attempt to make sure there was money to pay the country’s four managed isolation facilities which costs taxpayers about TOP$600,000 to quarantine one repatriation flight.
Ma’u was responding after Kaniva asked the Prime Minister whether it was true there was a plan in place to charge TOP$4,000 for each repatriated passenger starting in July.
Ma’u said it was just a proposal and any fees for the repatriated passengers to pay will depend on which managed isolation facility they will stay in.
He said the government is currently paying Tanoa Hotel TOP $4,000 for each repatriated passenger it quarantined.
He said the other three which are Kupesi, Makeke and Taliai camp were cheaper, but he did not say how much.
The proposed charges for repatriated passengers at the facilities in Makeke and Taliai camp, which are under the government’s control will be very cheap, he said of the proposal.
He said the proposal was inline with what other countries were doing to cover the costs for their managed isolation facilities.
He also said talks were underway with New Zealand, Australia and other donors to see if they can help.
But it is just a proposal before it goes to the government committee and from there to Cabinet to make a final decision, he said.
As Kaniva news and other media reported, this proposal was planned to start in July.
Ma’u’s response in Tongan is posted verbatim below:
“Oku kei fakahoko e ngaue ki he ngaahi totongi pea e totongi kehekehe pe kihe ngaahi facility. E kehe pe totongi ki Tanoa, Kupesi, Makeke mo Taliai.
“Koe $4,000 koe rate ia oku lolotonga totongi ‘e he Pule’anga ki he Hotele Tanoa ki he toko taha hono kolonitini. Aia koe commercial rate pe ia a e Hotele ‘oku nau lolotonga charge mai kihe Pule’anga. ‘Oku pehee pe mo Kupesi he koe ongo hotele commercial ia. A ia ‘oku ikai toe kehe ia moha fonua fekauaki moe managed isolation facility charge”.
“Koe ngaahi fakamole ‘a e Pule’anga ki hono kolonitini ha tokotaha I Makeke mo Taliai koe meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) tukukehe hono ngaahi fakaleleii mo hono tauhi, etc. A ia. e ma’ama’a auptio ange ia, pea e tuutuuni pe kiai e Pule’anga ia.
“Ko e ngaahi fokotuutuu pe pea oku fakahoko pe moe ngaahi alea mo Nu’u Sila mo ‘Aositelelia mo e ngaahi tokoni kehe naa nau lava tokoni.
E toki maau pea toki fakahoko kihe Komiti ki haane tuutuuni, pea ka tali e toki ave kihe Kapineti ki hano aofangatuku ‘o fakatatau pe moe palani ngaue”.
Hundreds of people are expected to gather at the Tuingapapai Church, Māngere this evening to honour the memory of the promising Mixed Martial Art (MMA) fighter who died after an attack in Central Auckland a week ago.
Liufau Tu’iha’angana Vake, 25, died May 16 after he was critically injured in what has been described as “a punch from behind” or a “coward punch”.
He will be laid to rest tomorrow Friday 28 at Waikumete Cemetery, in West Auckland.
It is understood the family and the kāinga are gathering today preparing refreshment for tonight’s service.
Police have confirmed that additional charges will be laid in due course after four people have appeared in court charged in connection with the incident.
Vake’s death was the latest tragedy in a year of heartbreak for the family after they lost their father Masiu Vake.
“They are hurting. We stand with them,” wrote Muay Thai boxer Golnaz Bassam-Tabar, the creator of the Givealittle page to help Vake family.
Within three days, the page had received more than $46,000, accompanied with heartfelt sentiments from the boxing community and beyond.
One supporter wrote that “My heart goes out to the Vake family and close friends, he didn’t deserve this to happen to him and you didn’t deserve to have him taken away from you in such a way. Much love to you.”
Vake’s last fought before he died was in late April. It was part of the Undisputed Fight Series event in Wairarapa, where he won by TKO in the first round in the card’s main event.
He had a 2-0-0 win-loss-draw record as a middleweight MMA fighter.
His death has been described as a great loss to the mixed martial art community as Vake had been seen as a promising and rising start fighter.
UPDATED: Air Vanuatu’s CEO ‘Atu Fīnau has described the late cancellation of a group of stranded Tongans to fly on a special flight from Vanuatu to Tonga today as “cruel.”
The flight was due to leave Port Vila this Thursday.
In an e-mail to Tongan Prime Minister Pōhiva Tui’onetoa, Fīnau said Air Vanuatu was told a group of Tongans planned to fly on air Vanuatu to Tonga could not go ahead today – only 24 hours before it was scheduled to depart.
“This would appear to be cruel timing and an incredibly insensitive decision.”
Fīnau said a small group of Tongan citizens were led to believe they could finally return to the kingdom.
Air Vanuatu First Officer Luseane Fetuani wrote to Tonga’s Director of the Ministry of Communication Officer Andrew To’imoana describing the cancellation as “totally unacceptable” and asking for the decision to be reconsidered.
“I understand that these are hard times and some hard and tough decisions must be made to protect the country and it’s livelihood,” she said.
“However, that does not mean that we are immune to being considerate.
“It has been a very stressful couple of weeks for some, trying to get this flight organised. Tongan nationals here have paid their tickets and did Covid-19 tests to be in line with your requirement”.
Fetuani said it costs VT$25,000 per person, the equivalent to TP$500 for a Covid-19 test.
“You already know how many repatriation flights there are into Tonga until the end of the year and how many people want to be in Tonga at any one time,” Fetuani said.
“With this knowledge in hand, I am wondering why were we strung along for this very costly exercise. Totally unacceptable.
“The least you could have done is let us know last week . . . even on Monday 24th before people went ahead and paid money that cannot be refunded; money that came from students, church workers, half pay workers and people who lost their jobs.”
After the Covid-19 outbreak, the Tongan Government restricted travel for Tongan nationals travelling from Vanuatu.
A repatriation flight from Auckland is expected to arrive in Nuku’alofa on June 2.
A similar flight from Brisbane is expected to arrive on June 3.
A flight from Fiji due on April 28 was cancelled because of the Covid-situation in that country.
‘Etuate Lavulavu kissed a Holy Bible in the Supreme Court last week and swore by the “Almighty God to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth” while defending himself during a fraud trial in which he is being charged together with his wife.
‘Etuate Lavulavu swears on the Holy Bible while defending himself
‘Etuate claimed in court the government owed him about TOP$10 million, the Kakalu newspaper reported.
Justice Nicholas Cooper wanted an explanation from ‘Etuate regarding the alleged debt. ‘Etuate claimed it was for renovation and construction works he did at the government’s Tonga National Centre (TNC).
Lavulavu and his wife Akosita Lavulavu, who is the Minister of Infrastructure, Tourism and Transport are defending themselves after pleading not guilty to charges relating to knowingly dealt with forged documents and obtaining credit by false pretences.
An investigation was prompted by the Auditor General’s office claiming hundreds of students supposedly attending the UNTRI could not be identified and that the Institute should repay TP$553,800 to the Technical Vocational Education and Training fund (TVET).
The couple allegedly used forged documents to support an application to obtain supplementary government funding to assist students at their ‘Unuaki ‘O Tonga Royal Institute (UTRI) private school.
Removal order
UNTRI was known as a university, but it ceased to be an accredited provider of education after a decision by the Tonga National Qualifications and Accreditation Board (TNQAB).
In 2014 ‘Etuate and UNTRI were ordered to move out of TNC, a judgement read.
The decision came after tenancy agreements were signed between the Ministry of Tourism and the university in 2008 and 2009.
The agreements allowed UNTRI and ‘Etuate to occupy TNC for a period of five years.
However, in 2013 the government commenced proceedings against Lavulavu and UNTRI seeking payment of outstanding rent and interest amounting to $158,400.
The following year the government lodged another legal action seeking court order against Lavulavu and UNTRI to vacate the TNC.
The complaint said the property has insufficient or no insurance cover and is a substantial asset at risk.
The tenancy and management agreements have both expired and the TNC was deteriorating, it said.
In his ruling former Chief Justice Anthony Ford said: “Taking into account the material placed before me, I do not find that the University or Mr. Lavulavu have “any real prospect” of succeeding in their claims to retain possession of the TNC”.
Ford also said: “I accept that the TNC is not properly insured. I also accept that it is at risk. It is a very substantial aid funded government asset which if lost could not be replaced by Mr. Lavulavu. The University has lost its accreditation. In my opinion the only arguable dispute between the parties is purely financial and does not provide any basis for the retention by the University or Mr. Lavulavu of the TNC”.
Controversial backgrounds
In 2003 Lavulavu apologised to the House after an altercation in which he swore at the late Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pōhiva.
In the same year, Lavulavu was arrested at the Salt Lake City International Airport, Utah after he arrived from Tonga and charged with falsifying immigration papers for Tongans to become American citizens as part of a scam carried out with his brother in 1997. He later pleaded guilty to two counts of illegal use of a birth certificate, but only had to pay costs.
In 2004 he began referring to himself as “professor” and said he had a doctorate from an American institution, which turned out to be a notorious “mail order” university which essentially sells degrees.
The Director of Education said at the time that the Ministry did not recognise his “professorship.”
In 2016 Tonga’s Supreme Court convicted him of bribery and spending over the legal limit on his 2014 election campaign.
The judge said Lavulavu was not a credible witness and that his evidence was implausible, evasive and untruthful.
As a result of his conviction he was kicked out of Parliament. His wife Akosita won the by-election in his electorate.
In a case in 2000, Lavulavu was sued by the Late Prince Tu’ipelehake for damages and unlawful cultivation of his land. In his summing up of the trial, Lord Chief Justice Ward said Lavulavu “was willing to say almost anything that seemed to suit the moment with a repeated disregard for the truth.”
Last year the Supreme Court ordered his wife ‘Akosita, a Cabinet Minister, to pay the plaintiffs’ costs after Lord Chief Justice Whitten quashed her decision to deny whale watching and swimming licences.
Mr Whitten said her decisions were infected by errors of law.
FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA
Kuo fuakava ‘Etuate Lavulavu he Tohitapu’ ‘o fakapapau ‘i he ‘ao ‘o e ‘Otua Mafimafi ko e me’a kotoa te ne lea’aki’ ‘i he fakamaau’anga’ ko e totonu mo e mo’oni kotoa pe ia, lolotonga hono hopo’i ia tukuaki’i ki hono ma’u kākaa’i ‘o ha pa’anga ‘ova he vaeua miliona’ mei he pule’anga’. ‘I he konga ‘ene fakamatala’ hili ‘ene fuakava’ na’a’ ne pehē tokua ai ‘oku mo’ua ange ‘a e pule’anga’ ia ki ai ofi ‘i he $10 miliona. Na’a’ ne pehē ko e pa’anga fakakātoa ‘eni hili ‘ene fai ‘a e ngaahi monomono mo e langa ki he Senitā Fakafonua’ ‘a ia ne lele ai ‘ene ako’anga ‘Unuaki ‘O Tonga’. ‘Oku mahino foki ne tu’utu’uni ‘a e fakamaau’anga ‘i he 2014 ke mavahe leva ‘a Lavulavu mei he senitaa’ hili ‘eni ‘a e tukuaki’i na’e ‘ikai ha malu’i pe ‘inisiua ki he ngaahi fale’, ta’etokanga’i ke ngaahi pea hā lingolingo mo ta’efe’unga ‘a e fu’u ‘api. Ne toe ‘eke’i fakalao foki mo e mo’ua ta’etotongi leni (rent) fe’unga mo e pa’anga ‘e taha kilu tupu pe $158,400 kia Lavulavu. Ne iku tu’utu’uni ai ‘a e fakamaau’anga lahi ke ne mavahe leva mei he ‘api ni.
The man shot dead in the Auckland suburb of Ōtāhuhu over the weekend has been named.
He was 31-year-old Alec Moala of Papatoetoe.
Police and Victim Support are providing his family with support.
A post-mortem was completed yesterday and Police are continuing to make a number of enquiries to establish the circumstances surrounding his death, including speaking to several people in Beatty Street and the wider Ōtāhuhu area.
Police have also received a number of calls from members of the public since our appeal for information yesterday, and want to thank those who came forward with information.
This information is being assessed as part of our ongoing enquiries.
However, Police are still keen to hear from anyone with information about what occurred in the early hours of Sunday morning.
“We are confident there are people out there who know who is responsible and with information valuable to our investigation,” Acting Detective Inspector Warrick Adkin says.
“We urge them to do the right thing and come forward to Police for the sake of Mr Moala’s family.”
Anyone with information is urged to contact us on 105 quoting file number 210523/2150 or operation name Operation Alani.
People can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
A Tongan woman has denied in the Auckland High court claims she failed to take reasonable steps to prevent her husband before he died sitting in his own waste.
Malia ‘Unalotokipea Li. Photo/Facebook
She has been accused of failing to provide her disabled husband with food, water and medical help before he died.
Malia Unalotokipea Li, who is aged in her 60s, was charged with manslaughter in relation to the death of her 48-year-old husband, Lanitola Epenisa, who died of blood poisoning in 2016.
“In his opening address at the High Court in Auckland, Crown prosecutor Jasper Rhodes said one of Epenisa’s bed sores, on his buttocks, was so bad it went through to the bone”, Stuff reported.
“He said after Epenisa’s death, police officers and ambulance staff moved him from the La-Z-boy chair he died in. Epenisa had fused to the chair”.
The court was told that in the years before his death, Epenisa had suffered from strokes.
The Crown alleges Li’s level of care for her husband was “grossly negligent”.
But defence lawyer Mark Ryan said his expert witness claims the pressure sores were very recent, and Li did not fail to take reasonable steps to prevent the sores from developing or worsening.
“The deceased was a very, very unhealthy person,” Ryan told the jury.
“As soon as those pressure sores became infected, there was no defence mechanism in his body able to stop blood poisoning.”
Ryan said the case was “tragic” and urged the jury to focus its attention on the pressure sores.
Epenisa did not die of starvation, from lack of water but from sepsis caused by pressure sores, Ryan said.
“He had once run a business building stone walls but when his health meant he could no longer work, the family moved in with relatives. The couple, who had been married nearly 20 years, lived in a room with their teenaged daughters”.
Epenisa died in Māngere, South Auckland from sepsis, a blood infection from untreated pressure sores on his buttocks sometime on the night between October 1 and 2, 2016, a jury heard..
“A level two NZQA national certificate in health and disability foundational skills obtained by Li in February 2014 was produced as evidence by the Crown”, the Herald said.
“The Crown alleges the qualification proves Li had some training and experience in caring for people in similar position to Epenisa”.
The trial before Justice Edwin Wylie has been set down for six weeks.
FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA
‘Oku lolotonga lele hono hopo’i ‘a e fefine Tonga ko Malia ‘Unalotokipea Li ‘a ia ‘oku ne ‘i hono ta’u 60 tupu’ tukuaki’i ki he mate hono husepāniti ko Lanitola ‘Epenisa ‘i he 2016. ‘Oku tukuaki’i ‘a Malia ki he’ene ta’etokanga ‘ikai ke ne fafanga, fakainu pe fakama’a ‘a ‘Epenisa, 48, lolotonga ne faingata’a’ia mamatea hono sino hili ‘ene pākalava. Na’e mate ‘a ‘Epenisa ‘oku tangutu pe ‘i he’ene tu’u mama’o’ ‘i hono sea ve’eteka, ‘a ia ne toki to’o pe mei ai ‘e he kau polisi’ mo e kau ‘ōfisa mei he me’alele fakavavevave ‘a e fale mahaki’. ‘Oku faka’ikai’i kotoa ‘e Malia ‘a e tukuaki’i’ ni pea ‘oku lolotonga lele ‘ene hopo ‘i he High Court ‘a ‘Okalani fakafuofua ki ha uike ‘e ono.
It said when the Air Vanuatu special flight arrived in Tonga today the quarantine facilities were already full with passengers who were repatriated back to Tonga on May 5.
Liufau Tu’iha’angana Vake, 25, died May 16 after he was critically injured in what has been described as “a punch from behind” or a “coward punch”.
The flight was due to leave Port Vila this Thursday.
