UPDATED: The woman who died in a head-on collision in Tongatapu on Sunday has been identified by a family member to Kaniva News.
Sitela Fungavaka, 76, died after a car she was a passenger in and driven by her husband Sitiveni Fungavaka collided with another car on Hala Tahi road at Talafo’ou.
Sitiveni, who was also known by the name ‘Āmone Afu, was a former police officer and also a former ‘Ikale Tahi captain. He was unharmed, his daughter Vāsiti Fungavaka told Kaniva News.
It is understood the deceased’s children and grandchildren in New Zealand gathered for a prayer vigil for their mother in Auckland this week.
As Kaniva News reported on Monday, police have arrested and charged a 21-year-old man from Vaini with reckless driving causing death.
Police said: “A car heading south driven by the accused with two other passengers were speeding along Hala Tahi at Talafoóu, lost control of the vehicle, swerved and crashed into a car heading north driven by a man from Holonga…”
The two passengers who were with the accused sustained serious injuries and were taken to the hospital.
A 21-year-old Vainī man was arrested in connection with a crash in Hahake that killed a woman and sent her husband and others to hospital.
Photo taken at the scene in Hahake. Photo/Sitiveni Takai (Facebook)
Police said the 76-year-old woman from Holonga died in hospital yesterday Sunday 25.
“A car heading south driven by the accused with two other passengers were speeding along Hala Tahi at Talafoóu,” Police said in a Facebook post.
It said the driver “lost control of the vehicle, swerved and crashed into a car heading north driven by a man from Holonga with one passenger, a 76-year-old woman.”
“Police can confirm that the 76-year-old woman passed away at the Vaiola Hospital last night.
The two other passengers with the accused sustained serious injuries.
This is the sixth road fatality for this year, it said.
The accused is remanded in police custody while police investigations continues.
A new law means that Tongan civil servants could be charged with criticising the government if somebody decides they have used an offensive emoji online.
Civil Servants need to be very careful about using social media
That’s one entirely possible interpretation of a new law which was revealed by Tonga Broadcasting Commission this week.
But while the law sounds absurd, it is no joke, because people could lose their jobs.
It is part of an attempt by the government to limit the right of civil servants to freedom of expression, even, apparently, when they are speaking in a completely private capacity.
This is in complete contrast to New Zealand where civil servants have the same rights to freedom of speech and political activity in their private lives as other New Zealanders.
Attorney General Linda Folaumoetu’i told the TBC civil servants could be punished under the law for defamation in writing or emojis.
The law can be used against civil servants who support a group on social media whose political views go against the government and could cause disorder.
Mrs Folaumoetu’i said civil servants must maintain high standards of behaviour and treat political and civil service colleagues with respect.
“They have to be politically independent.”
All civil servants “must be very cautious” about any information they intended to release on social media to support any political cause, she said in Tongan.
The government will come after its civil servants if they used reaction signals like “thumb up or like” to support any opposing political views (“poupou ki ha ngaahi tui fakapolitikale kehe”,) Folaumoetu’i said during an interview in Tongan with TBC.
No details or any documents about the new law have been released to the media or published on the Attorney General’s Office website.
Public Service Commission CEO Dr Lia Maka said this law controlled all civil servants and those who worked for government on contract basis, she told Television Tonga.
They could not criticise the government through social media and those who have personal accounts on all social media platforms including Facebook, Tumblr, Tweeter, Instagram, Youtube, Whatsapp and Snap Chat had to understand this law.
Punishment could include dismissal.
Dr Maka said the law was discussed with different groups and government CEOs before it was submitted to the Attorney General Office.
“Although everyone has a right to freedom of speech they have to all come under the government’s Code of Ethics,” Dr Maka told the Television.
The civil servants also are not allowed to release any confidential information.
Folaumoetu’i also said the law protects the Royal Family and any attempt to insult them.
Civil servants who used government technology for their social media use as well as using their own technologies while at works could be investigated and punished under this law.
Undemocratic
The Tongan governments actions are in line with attempts by governments in many undemocratic countries to gag civil servants and prevent them from enjoying the rights of ordinary citizens.
Unfortunately, even some supposedly democratic nations have tried to follow this trend.
Earlier this year an Australian civil servant quit his job as a policy officer after being threatened with the sack if he didn’t delete a blog post on how Covid-19 had benefited big tech companies. The department’s actions appear in conflict with civil servants’ right to make “public comment in an unofficial capacity,” which is set out in the Australian Public Servants’ Code of Conduct.
Tonga’s Parliament has passed tough new illicit drug laws providing for severe penalties.
The new law stipulates a maximum fine of TOP$1 million pa’anga or life imprisonment, or both, for anyone who is arrested with one or more kilograms of meth.
Anyone who was captured with 28 grams of meth could receive life imprisonment.
The brief information about the laws was released on Parliament’s Facebook page last week in Tongan language.
The law allows police to shoot the tyres of the vehicle of a suspected drug dealer.
Some police vehicle have to be fitted with bulletproof armour to better protect officers on dangerous jobs, according to new laws, the Hansard said.
The law also empowers police to use an ordinary citizen as a source of information to find illicit drugs.
Under the law, a Police Officer can enter a home if he got approval from a Police Magistrate. Previously, Police can only get such approval from the Chief Justice.
A father who knows that his son is dealing with drugs can also be charged.
In what Lord Chief Justice Whitten described as a tragic case, the Supreme Court has sentenced a man to five and-a-half years prison for causing death by driving.
The victim, local businessman, Tausinga Taumoefolau . Photo/Facebook
The sentence has been added to his existing term and he will serve a total of eight years. It has also been backdated to the date of his arrest.
In September 2019 the accused, Lemoto Manu, was convicted by Judge Cato on a count of grievous bodily harm and sentenced to four and a half years imprisonment.
Manu’s victim, local businessman Tausinga Taumoefolau, was left in a vegetative state which has rendered him dependent on the support and care of his family, likely for the rest of his life.
The court was told Manu had long standing mental problems, but had been found fit to stand trial.
In that trial Judge Cato ordered that, pursuant to Section 67 of the Mental Health Act, Manu was to be detained at the mental health facility at Vaiola Hospital under the care of Dr Puloka.
Manu was released from hospital in December 2019. Dr Puloka told Lord Chief Justice Whitten that at the end of every year, the psychiatric ward was inundated with more patients than it could hold.
To accommodate the overflow the hospital released some of the inpatients whom the medical staff assessed as representing a low risk. Despite the fact that he was serving a sentence for grievous bodily harm, the inpatients released included Manu.
On the afternoon of December 28 Manu returned to the psychiatric ward and collected three patients without their doctor’s permission. They began driving around while drinking Tongan alcohol brew known as “hopi”. By 9pm it was raining heavily. The Defendant was driving their vehicle west on Vuna Rd, speeding and swerving across the road.
The passengers could see a small white car parked ahead on the left side of the road. In it the victim was buying tomatoes from a nearby vegetable stall. As he held money out his car window for the seller, Manu’s vehicle swerved over the footpath and collided with the rear of the victim’s vehicle. The defendant’s vehicle was estimated to have been travelling at between 80 and 100 kph.
The victim’s vehicle was propelled into the concrete fence of the Chinese Embassy. Manu then drove off. The victim was then rushed to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival.
He was arrested the next day and admitted to the offending.
Further psychiatric evaluations were requested, including an assessment of whether a defence of insanity had been considered. Dr Puloka stated that it was unlikely that Manu was legally insane at the time of the offence.
Judge Whitten said the deliberate use of a motor vehicle after long bouts of heavy drinking, contained an element of willfulness that was repugnant and showed disregard for the law and for the safety of others.
The offending occurred while the Defendant was serving a sentence for a very serious grievous bodily harm and left the scene without trying to help the victim.
“Having regard to the nature and seriousness of the offences, I do not consider the extent of the additional time to be served for this offence upon the expiration of the current sentence for grievous bodily to be excessive,” Lord Chief Justice Whitten said.
“The overall result is an appropriate response to the Defendant’s recidivism, his disregard of the law and his demonstrated danger to the community and himself. “
The Supreme Court has imposed sentences on a group of men involved in what the judge called “a senseless and irrational waste of a life.”
Sione Feimoefiafi, right (Family photo)
The men were convicted on a range of charges following the death of Sione Feimoefiafi.
Mr Justice Cato said the accused and the deceased had been watching the final of an American football match in the Tali’eva Bar in Nuku’alofa on February 4, 2019. The match ended before the fight broke out in the late afternoon.
The fight lasted three minutes as it moved from inside the bar to the road.
“The bar had opened about 12pm and no doubt alcohol played a part in the irrational and brutal acts that followed,” the judge said.
“There was very little evidence as to the background for this offending. Feimoefiafi appeared to have annoyed some of the men earlier, but there was no evidence on his part of any conduct that could be said to have justified any assault by the accused whatever, still less the rampage of violence.
“All the accused acknowledged the violence he suffered at their hands was wrong, and I accept that their acknowledgement of this was genuine and his death was something they will have to live with, in addition to the sentences I have imposed.”
Siafa Nai, Kona’i Bloomfield and Vilaketi Bloomfield were convicted of manslaughter.
Tangi Nai and Sione Bloomfield pleaded guilty to common assault
Siafa Nai was sentenced to 12 and-a-half years backdated to take into account earlier periods of custody. The final two years of his sentence were suspended on condition, among other things, that he not commit any offences punishable by imprisonment during the period and undertake courses on alcohol abuse and anger management.
Kona’i Bloomfield was sentenced to 11 years and 6 months for manslaughter Like Nai, the last two years of his sentence was suspended on conditions.
Vilaketi Bloomfield was sentenced to eight years and nine months with the last two year suspended on conditions that he follow rules laid down by the court.
Tangi Nai was sentenced to 70 hours community work. The judge said Nai had pleaded guilty to the assault, was acquitted on other charges and spent a couple of months in custody on remand before being granted bail.
Sione Bloomfield was sentenced to 80 hours community work for common assault.
Democratic leader MP Siaosi Pōhiva told guests in Tongatapu he struggled before deciding to work as an independent Member of Parliament.
He warned that the PTOA (Tongan acronym for Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands) was in disarray.
MP Siaosi Pōhiva
He said if they could not sort out their differences soon there was no way the party would win the election and form the next government.
Hon. Pōhiva made the comments during a speech he made at the launching of a new residential house. He warned Democrats that good judgement toward others must be exercised so that they could all move forward.
Followers left puzzled
Hon. Pohiva told listeners he would only come back and join them if they could unite and work together.
His audience seemed to find his statement ambiguous. Puzzled listeners at the event and online argued about whether Hon. Pohiva had left the PTOA Democratic MPs’ team known as the Core Team. Others said he would no longer support the PTOA Movements.
The new house was built in Hoi under the PTOA Global Movement’s Housing for the Poor Scheme.
Supporters of the PTOA Global Movement who were at the launching event repeatedly applauded Hon. Pohiva during his statements, which was broadcast live on Facebook.
It appears the Global Movement supporters thought Hon. Pohiva was blasting the Core Team and was in support of the Movement.
When Hon. Pohiva was contacted for comment, he replied in just one sentence.
He said: “The people have taken my remarks out of context.”
The celebration last week was also attended by Ha’apai PTOA MP Veivosa Taka. Other PTOA MPs did not attend.
Show approval for Movement
Pōhiva made the startling revelation about a week after the PTOA Core Team released a statement rejecting the PTOA Global Movement’s Housing for the Poor scheme and freebies policy.
In his speech, Hon. Pohiva applauded the Global Movement’s scheme and told guests that without their help they could not see how this family’s housing situation could be resolved.
Hon. Pōhiva’s statements came a week after a PTOA Global leader responded to the Core Team release and said no one had registered the name PTOA and the Movement was free to use the name in its attempt to push for a more democratic reform in Tonga.
The Core Team condemned the Global Movement for using offensive language in its criticisms.
Pohiva’s speech
Online users shared Hon. Pohiva’s Facebook video and said he was quitting the PTOA Core Team. Others said he was quitting the PTOA Movements.
“Siaosi think of the large number of people who followed your father,” Rev. ‘Inoke Masima wrote on the PTOA International Facebook page.
A response from another PTOA activist Sione ‘Eniketi Taufa to Rev Masima said: “Sorry Pastor the MP (Siaosi Pohiva) is moving to join the people. Majority Rule!”
The interpretations were based on a number of statements made by Hon Pohiva.
He appears to have indirectly blasted the Core Team when he said in Tongan that, “they should look beyond the limit of the people and their war of words using offensive language.”
“If our judgement is just based on the war of words using offensive language nothing can be done,” Hon. Pohiva said, to applause from guests in Hoi.
Family attacked
Then he appears to have criticised the Global Movement, He said the group had attacked members of his family.
“But I do not see them that way,” he said in Tongan.
He said he was invited by the man for whom the house was built to have a meal with his family.
He said the man talked about his housing problems.
Then he appears to have applauded the Movement.
“If these people did not sacrifice, where would this man be?”Siaosi said.
“We are happy that people like this did help.
“I do not condone any wrong doing. But that is something for those people to correct if they have done anything wrong.
“It is none of my responsibility to correct people who used offensive language.
“My responsibility is to love and support someone who love others.”
PTOA Disarray
“We are in disarray and the reason for this was because we were picking on each others.
“If we do not unite our endeavour to form the next government will be in vain.
“You continue on with our work. I will step back and work on my own.”
Pope Francis has endorsed same-sex civil unions for the first time since taking the papal role.
The approval came midway through a feature-length documentary, titled Francesco, which had its premiere at the Rome Film Festival earlier today.
The film delves into issues Francis cares about most, including the environment, poverty, migration, racial and income inequality, and the people most affected by discrimination.
‘Homosexual people have the right to be in a family. They are children of God,’ Francis said in one of his sit-down interviews for the film.
‘What we have to have is a civil union law; that way they are legally covered.’
Pope Francis (pictured earlier today) has endorsed same-sex civil unions for the first time since taking the papal role
While serving as archbishop of Buenos Aires, Francis endorsed civil unions for gay couples as an alternative to same-sex marriages.
However, he had never come out publicly in favor of civil unions as pope until now.
Director Evgeny Afineevsky had remarkable access to cardinals, the Vatican television archives and the pope himself.
He said he negotiated his way in through persistence, and deliveries of Argentine mate tea and Alfajores cookies that he got to the pope via some well-connected Argentines in Rome.
The premiere comes after the Popepraised a breastfeeding mother as he reverted to going without a coronavirus face mask during the Vatican general audience today.
‘Example of beauty’: Pope Francis praises breastfeeding mother.
The premiere comes after the Pope praised a breastfeeding mother as he reverted to going without a coronavirus face mask during the Vatican general audience today
Pope Francis praised Switzerland’s Valentina Frey at the start of his Vatican general audience in the the Paul VI hall while she breastfed her daughter Charlotte Katharina
Francis mentioned Switzerland’s Valentina Frey at the start of the audience in the Paul VI hall while she breastfed her daughter Charlotte Katharina.
He said the act was an example of ‘tenderness’ and ‘beauty’ before continuing his speech.
The Pope said: ‘Something caught my attention while the readers were reciting the Biblical passages there was the baby over there that was crying.
‘And I was looking at the mother. Who was nursing the baby and comforting her.
The Pope said: I was looking at the mother. Who was nursing the baby and comforting her and I was thinking about how God is like this with us. How he often tries to comfort us and nurse us’
The Pope reverted to going without a coronavirus face mask while addressing the audience in the Vatican City, Rome, Italy, today
‘I was thinking about how God is like this with us. How he often tries to comfort us and nurse us.
‘It is a beautiful image when we see this happening in church and we hear a baby crying and we see a mother’s tenderness.
The PTOA Core Team MPs’ attempt to take the PTOA name away from the Democrat’s Global movement is wrong.
PTOA for life banner. Photo/Kalino Lātū (Kaniva Tonga News)
Its warning to its followers about inducing voters is equally at fault.
The Core Team has argued that its opposition to the Global Movement’s activities is based on the late ‘Akilisi Pohiva’s teaching that the nation could not be built with offering freebies and money.
The team said ‘Akilisi taught that: “The will of the people could not be bought using goods or money. The will of the people can only be influenced by enlightenment and knowledge.”
Global vs Core Team
The Core Team believe that what the Global Movement did went against the late Prime Minister’s teaching. The Global Movement has regularly launched attacks against the Core Team since they kept silent after a meeting that supposed to decide the fate of MP Mateni Tapueluelu. The Democrats were looking forward to the Core Team making a decision and announcing the results to the public, but they did not.
This has divided the PTOA’s movements, with PTOA International supporting the Core Team against the Global Movement. The two Movements went to war on Facebook with some of their leaders using strong and offensive language.
Akilisi’s teachings
‘Akilisi, a former teacher and lecturer at the Tonga Teachers’ Training College did a great job to teach people of Tonga to know about their right to make decisions about how to use their tax money.
He also taught people about the democratic system and after many years of struggle turned Tonga into a democratic system
‘Akilisi did not support buying voter’s support in any form, but he did not reject doing things to help the poor, including building houses or project which involved millions of pa’anga.
‘Akilisi also appreciated people who donated for his political cause. The best example is MP Semisi Sika and his family and their business. They were one of ‘Akilisi’s big financial supporters and this was one of the reasons why ‘Akilisi chose him to become his replacement before he died.
Wrong track
The Core Team appear to be on the wrong track because the Global Movement was an independent body and they help people using their own money. Not only that but also, politics and democracy are all about money and the people. It’s all about politicians trying to please voters with what they can do for them with their tax money. If there is no money no one will want to take part in politics, especially MPs. Politicians want to go to Parliament and form the government so they can allocate and distribute people’s tax money.
They must create policies to show people what their thinking has been in the way they allocated their tax money. People choose politicians according to policies and how they can be funded using their tax money.
Not only that, politicians are allowed to help and donate for the people in whatever forms as long as the assistance falls within the law, especially when it comes to elections.
‘Akilisi donates for Popua Park
Even ‘Akilisi donated money to poor by building them something to raise their standard of living.
He donated thousands of pa’anga for the Popua National Park. It was a project he initiated and which was later subsidised by the government. He said in an interview with Kaniva News he wanted to beautify that particular place, not just for the people living in Popua and nearby villages, but for the whole of Tonga.
He also said he was saving money to build the same community park at his Tongatapu 1 constituency in Sopu ‘o Taufa’ahau.
Kele’a paper sponsorships
Many people sponsored ‘Akilisi’s Kele’a paper and helped pay his court fines, including Dr Feleti Sevele, former Ministry of Education Director Paula Bloomfield and many others. Sevele was once ‘Akilisi’s best friend, but later fell out with him over political differences.
‘Akilisi also was the main sponsor of his Kele’a newspaper since 1986. He told Kaniva News his paper was the main platform for his political campaign. His son Siaosi Pohiva also said in an interview with Kaniva Tonga that whatever money his father got he saved for Kele’a and for his political works.
‘Akilisi also spent about more than TP$1 million paying court fines as well as his paper’s court fines. He always said this was the pathway that a person who wanted to sacrifice because of the people who were suppressed must follow.
Embarrassing
The Core Team’s announcement on local radio that Global Movement was no longer recognised because its housing and helping the poor policies were attempts to buy votes was embarrassing.
The announcement also appeared to be personal, rather than based on anything concrete, rather than any breach of the electoral laws. If any such breach was suspected it should have been reported to the Electoral Commission to investigate and determine what the case was.
The PTOA Core Team should support any group which supports the people under the PTOA banner. It should recognise the huge level of support for PTOA Global in the US, New Zealand and Australia.
The worst thing is that the PTOA Core Team did not register its name and has no constitution. Prime Minister Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa and his supporters have always mocked them for this, saying they cannot talk with a body which was not legalised in Tonga.
Perhaps the Core Team should sort itself out before it criticises PTOA Global. If it does not, then Hon. Tu’i’onetoa will keep laughing at them and they will have little hope of returning to power.
The Supreme Court has sentenced seven men to jail for terms of between three and four and-a-years after a raid on a marijuana plantation.
Convicted in court were Tonga Wolfgramm, described as the group’s ringleader, Afei Tatafu, who admitted to being in charge of selling the drugs, Sulitomu’a Muna, who kept an armed guard on the plantation, Cullen Pongi, Heuati Toke, Misinale Lavemai and ‘Amini Topui.
The cannabis was hidden inside a kava planation being cultivated by the defendants as a church group of growers.
The court was told sales of the cannabis generated TP$600 a day.
In September 2018, police received information that cannabis was being grown at a tax allotment at Holonga, Vava’u. When they arrived at the allotment they found Sulitomu’a Muna, who fled carrying a .22 rifle. He ran across the adjoining allotments and dropped the rifle in a bush area next to the residence of Luti Wolfgramm and went inside.
Police then brought Tonga Wolfgramm to the tax allotment at Holonga where they read him a search warrant and then conducted a search. Police found a total of 2,665 cannabis plants weighing 99.65 kilograms.
Police then executed a search warrant at Luti Wolfgramm’s residence where Tonga Wolfgramm lived and which the other defendants often visited. There they found 13 ziplock plastic bags containing cannabis leaves and 15 small plastic bags containing cannabis seeds. The combined weight of the leaves and seeds was 22.57 grams. Police also found 26 rounds of .22 calibre ammunition.
When interviewed by police, all the Defendants admitted to the offending and eventually pleaded guilty in court.
The court was told that Wolfgramm controlled the financial side of the operation.
Lord Chief Justice Whitten, presiding, said it was unfortunate there had been no attempt to work out the street value of the cannabis seized by police.
“However, the submissions of other defendants provide some indication of the financial size of the operation,” the judge said.
The defendants were paid $500 each for their work on a crop harvested just before the raid and it seemed likely that Wolfgramm kept most of the money.
The offending fell within the category of large scale growing for commercial purposes.
“A further consideration in assessing the seriousness of the offending is the effect this quantity of cannabis is likely to have had on the community had it been harvested, processed and sold to others,” the judge said.
“It is well known that Tonga is currently in the grips of an alarming war on illicit drugs. Although some in the community may see cannabis as far less insidious drug than methamphetamines, all illicit drugs are potentially harmful to those who use them and the broader community which is inevitably affected by those who succumb to drug addiction.
Lord Chief Justice Whitten handed down the following sentences:
Tonga Wolfgramm was convicted of growing cannabis and was sentenced to four years and six months in prison. He was also found guilty of possessing cannabis, for which he was sentenced to nine months and six months possession of ammunition without a license. These sentences are to be served concurrently. The final 18 months of the lead sentence were suspended for two years.
Sulitomu’a Muna was convicted of the cultivation of cannabis and sentenced to three years and one year for possessing a firearm without a licence. The final two years of the main sentence will be suspended for two years.
Cullen Pongi was sentenced to three years for growing cannabis. The final two years of the main sentence will be suspended for two years.
Heuati Toke was sentenced to three years for growing cannabis. The final two years of the main sentence will be suspended for two years.
Misinale Lavemai was sentenced to three years for growing cannabis. The final 18 months of the main sentence will be suspended for two years.
‘Amini Topui was sentenced to three years for growing cannabis. The final 18 months of the main sentence will be suspended for two years.
Afei Tau’akitangata Tatafu was sentenced to three years and six months for growing cannabis. The final 15 months of the main sentence will be suspended for two years.
Each of the suspensions of sentence depends, among other things, on the defendants not committing any offences punishable by imprisonment, being placed on probation, not consuming alcohol or drugs and completing a course on alcohol and drug awareness.
