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Move to dismiss Caldwell reveals concerns over importation of ‘prohibited’ guns and ammunition

By
Kalino Latu
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A Cabinet submission by the Minister of Police to dismiss Police Commissioner Steve Caldwell has revealed concerns over an importation of prohibited weapon and large amounts of ammunition by Armed Forces and Police after His Majesty dissolved Parliament last year.

Two shipments of reloading machines, guns and ammunition which arrived in Tonga before the November snap election were seized by the Ministry of Customs and Police after an order by Minister of Police Māteni Tapueluelu.

Hon. Tapueluelu told Kaniva News the reloading machines were prohibited in Tonga

These machines were made to assemble ammunition  by re-using cases or shells that had previously been fired.

Only the Minister of Police had the power to authorise any importation of weapons to the country,  he said.

Hon. Tapueluelu said he was concerned after he found out the request by the Armed Forces to allow them to import the firearms bypassed his office and was addressed to the Police Commissioner who, he said, had no power to approve it.

Hon. Tapueluelu said he was also concerned about the timing of the order of the weapon and its arrival in Tonga after Parliament was dissolved.

He described the amount as “too large” compared to the population of Tonga and the Armed Forces.

He said he was worried that the Police ordered ammunition while existing stocks met current requirements.

Prime Minister vs Lord Ma’afu

It is understood the claims by Hon. Tapueluelu had concerned Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva while his government was in caretaker mode after the dissolution.

Lord Ma’afu was the Minister of His Majesty’s Armed Forces at the time the weapons were ordered and the shipments arrived in Tonga.

It is also understood this was one of the reasons why Hon. Pōhiva planned to remove Lord Ma’afu from the portfolio after his party won last year’s snap election.

But after a meeting with the king, Hon. Pōhiva re-appointed Lord Ma’afu as Minister of His Majesty’s Armed Forces.

It was not clear whether the Prime Minister informed the king about the importation of the weapons.

Lord Ma’afu resigned last week after the Minister of Police submitted his proposal to the Cabinet. Hon. Pohiva accepted his resignation. The reason for Lord Ma’afu stepping down has not been made public.

Lord Ma’afu could not be reached for comment.

Deputy Commissioner Fa’aoa left Tonga

Documents seen by Kaniva News appear to show that Deputy Commissioner of Police ‘Unga Fa’aoa signed and approved a letter by Commander Sione Lino of His Majesty’s Armed Forces on October 2, 2017.

The letter sought the Commissioner of Police’s approval to import firearms and ammunition including 100,000 rounds of 14085 ammunition, 300,000 rounds of 5.56 mm FIAI ball cartridges, 150,000 small pistol primers, three reloading machines and 38, 000 ADI 5.56.

Hon. Tapueluelu claimed the Deputy Commissioner Fa’aoa had no power to approve the Armed Forces request.

The weapons were ordered from New Zealand from Ordnance Development Ltd, Castlecliff, Whanganui.

It is understood Fa’aoa left Tonga for the United States last year.

Move to dismiss Police Commissioner

The submission to dismiss Caldwell was submitted to Cabinet on February 26, one day before Hon. Tapueluelu tendered his resignation, which Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva did not accept.

The Prime Minister said Hon. Tapueluelu wanted to resign because, he was frustrated and believed there was a lack of support for his submission from his Cabinet colleagues.

Hon. Tapueluelu’s submission read: “Honourable Members of Cabinet are invited to consider and approve the recommendation to the Judicial Appointments and Discipline Panel and to Privy Council the dismissal of Police Commissioner Stephen John Caldwell, under Section 13 (b) and (c), of the Tonga Police Act 2010.”

It said the purpose of this submission was to seek approval of the Hon. Cabinet Ministers to recommend to the Judicial Appointments and Discipline Panel, to dismiss the Commissioner of Police.

Hon. Tapueluelu’s submission claimed Commissioner Caldwell had said the signing by Fa’aoa was likely the result of “human error.”

Hon. Tapueluelu said Fa’aoa was also a lawyer and he should have known better.

Hon. Tapueluelu said that on November 21, 2017, he advised Caldwell, in writing of what he considered to be a serious breach of discipline by the Deputy Commissioner.

He said he told Caldwell Fa’aoa had approved the order without consulting or seeking the Minister’s approval for the importation of ammunition and reloading machines on October 4, 2017.

“Deputy Fa’aoa’s ignorance of the Laws of Tonga, is a serious breach of Discipline, as it is ruled that applications for importation of ammunitions, should and can only be approved by the Minister of Police…”, the Minister’s submission to Cabinet said..

Police order without permission

Hon. Tapueluelu said Police also ordered ammunition from New Zealand around the same time without a permit.

“Usually I countersign orders from overseas, but not in this case,” said Hon. Tapueluelu.

“It was during the Christmas season that the Deputy Commissioner of Police Ashley Fua asked that I approve the importation of ammunition worth of $20,000 already ordered and in the warehouse in New Zealand.

“I asked for the current stock of ammunition in Tonga and was informed there were 10,800 rounds of  ammunition in stock. I sought advice from the Head Operation of Tactical Response Unit, Sikulu Fakateli and was informed that stock was enough.

“Consequently my office saw no need to approve this order. They ordered prior to asking for approval hoping they can force my office to an approval without proper consideration of the circumstances.”

Hon. Tapueluelu alleged no disciplinary action had been taken against the Deputy Commissioner.

For more information

PM Pōhiva confirmed Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lord Ma’afu for Defence after meeting with king

Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva submits his cabinet lineup to the king

Police on the scene of a crash in Tufumāhina

By
Kalino Latu
-

Police are on the scene of a two-vehicle crash in Tufumāhina, Tongatapu this evening Sunday 4.

Our correspondent in Tonga said there were injuries but he could not confirm their conditions and the number of people being injured after the accident which occurred at about 11pm.

The crash came after Kaniva News reported an apparent single-vehicle rollover crash on a main road in ‘Umutangata, Fo’ui this morning.

Two women and a man were rushed to hospital in serious conditions, one report said.

That incident came after five people died last week in two separate vehicle crashes.

As Kaniva News reported, three people died in Tongatapu in a two-vehicle crash.

Two days later a single-crash in Neiafu, Vava’u claimed two lives.

Man stabbed to death in Tongatapu, authority says

By
Kalino Latu
-

A 22-year-old man died in Fangaloto after he was allegedly stabbed to death this afternoon Sunday 4, a hospital spokesperson has confirmed to Kaniva News.

Authority believed drinking was involved.

No further details were available, the spokesperson said.

The death came after four people had been arrested and charged after three various murder cases were reported in Tongatapu last month.

As Kaniva News reported, Police have arrested two male teenagers Thursday, March 1 and charged them with murder.

The move was made after two bodies of a Chinese couple were found in a bush allotment in Matafonua, Lakepa.

The couple in their early 50s were found with obvious injuries on their bodies in February 25, Police said.

On another murder case, an 18-year-old suspect was charged with murder on February 13. Police later named the suspect as Lotu Tu’ifufu.

Tu’ifufu was charged after his 18-year-old girl friend died in a road in ‘Umusī, near Fangaloto on February 13.

Before that a Te’ekiu man was arrested after another man was killed and his body was found near a road in Fatai, Hihifo, on February 4.

The victim has been stabbed and he died in hospital upon arrival, Police said.

Hateni Kaufusi, 32,  was arrested and is in Police custody after.

Ministry of Justice CEO dies

By
Kalino Latu
-

The Tonga civil servants community has mourned the loss of a fellow senior civil servant Sūsana Faletau.

Faletau served as Ministry of Justice CEO since 2016.

Her family and friends extended their “deepest sympathies” on social media.

“Your sudden and unexpected loss is so unbearable. RIL Susana, ofa lahi atu kiho famili during this difficult time,” a commentator wrote on Facebook.

“Life is way too short RIP Susana, we are all so shocked and still can’t believe you have left us,” another wrote. 

Faletau was instrumental in planning a new free community legal advice centre which is expected to be opened in Nuku’alofa this year.

The Centre will help survivors of domestic violence to apply for protection orders under the
Family Protection Act.

Serious crash reported on a Hihifo main road

By
Kalino Latu
-

Police and community authorities are responding to reports of an apparent single-vehicle rollover crash on a main road in ‘Umutangata, Fo’ui.

Two women and a man were rushed to hospital in serious conditions, one report said.

The incident came after five people died last week in two separate vehicle crashes.

As Kaniva News reported, three people died in Tongatapu in a two-vehicle crash.

Two days later a single-crash in Neiafu, Vava’u claimed two lives.

Police charge Minister of Internal Affairs and husband with fraud

By
Kalino Latu
-

Police have arrested Minister of Internal Affairs and her husband and charged them with fraud.

Police commissioner Stephen Caldwell,  has confirmed that the Honourable Minister of Internal Affairs Mrs. ‘Akosita Havili Lavulavu, 33, and her husband, the former Minister of Infrastructure, Mr. ‘Etuate Sisitoutai Lavulavu aka ‘Etuate Sungalu Lavulavu, 59, were arrested today on various fraud related charges.

The charges are three counts for obtaining by false pretences, contrary to section  164 of the Criminal Offences Act and three counts of knowingly dealing with forged documents, contrary to section 172 of the Criminal Offences Act.

Commissioner Stephen Caldwell said the charges relate to a referral made to Tonga Police by the Auditor General over a number of irregularities in an audit of ‘Unuaki ‘o Tonga Royal Institute in 2016.

As Kaniva News reported, the Auditor General’s office has recommended that the ‘Unuaki ‘o Tonga Royal Institute be referred to the police after massive discrepancies were found in its accounts.

The Institute, which began operations in 2004, was set up by disgraced former politician and Minister for Infrastructure, Etuate Lavulavu.

“The Auditor General’s office said hundreds of students supposedly attending the private school could not be identified and that the Institute should repay TP$553,800 to the Technical  Vocational Education and Training fund (TVET).”

Commissioner Caldwell said he wanted to send a clear message that no one is above  the law and the law would be enforced without fear or favour by the Tonga Police.

Matters are now before the courts and no further comment is to be made.

For further information:

Auditor General demands repayment as hundreds of students at private school can’t be found

Supreme Court finds Lavulavu guilty of bribery and calls his evidence ‘untruthful’  

Hon Lavulavu denies he told mechanical supervisor to fake TP$1 million valuation, threatens legal action

Two teens charged with murder after bodies of Chinese couple found in Lakepa

By
Kalino Latu
-

Police have arrested two male teenagers Thursday, March 1 and charged them with murder.

The move was made after two bodies of a Chinese couple were found in a bush allotment in Matafonua, Lakepa, prompting a murder investigation.

The couple in their early 50s were found with obvious injuries on their bodies in February 25, Police said.

Deputy Commissioner Pelenatita Vaisuai said:  “I commend the police investigators for their
commitment and hard work which results in a quick arrest. This arrest provides
reassurance to the family of the deceased and the Community.”

Police investigation continues.

Climate change demands plan for emergency we hope won’t happen, says Sio

By
Philip Cass
-

New Zealand needed an emergency plan to deal with the worst case scenario of climate change in the Pacific, Minister for Pacific People Aupito William Sio said last night.

Hon. Sio told Kaniva News  last night New Zealand had to be prepared to deal with climate driven immigration from the Pacific.

Many Pacific islands, especially those with constitutional ties, may look to New Zealand if their populations had to relocate because climate change made their countries uninhabitable.

New Zealand had to recognise that migration and re-settlement might be necessary and its policies on issues like migration and employment must be sufficiently flexible to deal with the situation.

“How do we act in an emergency we don’t want to happen?” the Minister said.

“Every factory has an evacuation plan it doesn’t ever want to use.

“We need to be thinking about that.

“Would we be ready?

“Would we have the infrastructure in place?

“Is New Zealand mentally and psychologically prepared for what could happen?”

The Minister, who spoke at last week’s international climate change conference in Wellington, said New Zealand needed to envision what could happen. Talking about the possibility could pre-empt it.

He said this was an idea he had shared with his political colleagues.

He said New Zealand would have to work with the Pacific Islands and listen to what they wanted, especially with the leading Pacific economies, Australia, Fiji and Papua New Guinea.

There were practical questions to be asked about who would fund migration from the Pacific Islands if they went under.

As a Pacific nation New Zealand had a responsibility to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Island nations and help ensure their views and aspirations were heard in international settings.

“Can we look to the Pacific region with humanitarian eyes and an open heart?” Hon. Sio asked.

“It’s the right thing to do.”

The government could explore a number of opportunities through talking with Pacific nations, education, helping island workers upgrade their qualifications, employment and resilience.

The Minister said New Zealand was committed to ensuring its emissions kept temperature temperature changes to 1.5C and becoming carbon free by 2050.

He said the large Islander population in New Zealand meant it was part of the Pacific and would talk not as a big brother, but as a member of the same family.

The main points

  • New Zealand needed an emergency plan to deal with the worst case scenario of climate change in the Pacific, Minister for Pacific People Apito William Sio said last night.
  • Speaking to Kaniva News, Hon. Sio said New Zealand had to be prepared to deal with climate driven immigration from the Pacific.
  • Many Pacific Islands may look to New Zealand if their populations had to relocate because climate change made their countries uninhabitable.
  • New Zealand would have to work with the Pacific Islands and listen to what they wanted.

For more information 

Pacific Climate Change conference hears sea level rise of two metres by 2100

Lord Ma’afu resigns as Minister of Lands and Natural Resources

By
Kalino Latu
-

Lord Ma’afu Tukui’aulahi has resigned as Tonga’s Minister of Lands and Resources as well as Minister of His Majesty’s Armed Forces.

The Prime Minister has accepted his resignation this afternoon.

The reason behind the resignation was not released.

“I received this afternoon Lord Ma’afutukui’aulahi’s letter of resignation from Cabinet and I have accepted it,” a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office quoted Hon. ‘Akilisi Pōhiva as saying.

“I will now recommend to His Majesty, King Tupou VI, in accordance with clause 51(3)(a) of our Constitution that because I have received his letter of resignation, that Lord Ma’afutukui’aulahi’s appointment as Minister for Lands and Natural Resources as Minister responsible for His Majesty’s Armed Forces be revoked forthwith”, the statement says.

The Hon Prime Minister said: “I take the opportunity to publicly thank Lord
Ma’afutukui’aulahi for his dedicated service to Cabinet and to His Majesty’s Government”.

The noble’s resignation came after the Minister of Police Māteni Tapueluelu resigned on Tuesday but the Prime Minister, his father-in-law, did not accept it.

Tapueluelu resigned because he believed there was a lack of support from cabinet members over his proposal regarding his power as Minister of Police given by the constitution.

Police charge Lord Tu’ivakanō with passport offences, money laundering and bribery

By
Kalino Latu
-

The king’s noble and former Prime Minister, Lord Tu’ivakanō has been charged with passport offences, money laundering and bribery.

As Kaniva news reported this morning Police arrested the former Speaker of Parliament yesterday March 1.

“Lord Tu’ivakanō has been charged with numerous crimes including; making a False Statement for the purpose of obtaining a Passport, Perjury, Acceptance of Bribery and Money Laundering,” Police Commissioner Steve Caldwell said.

As we reported last year, Lord Tu’ivakanō and his wife Joyce Robin Kaho have been listed by the Tonga National Reserve bank as being involved in suspicious money transfers.

It followed with a claim by a former staff at Parliament that Lord Tu’ivakanō used parliamentary staff to improperly transferred money overseas. The noble denied it.

“If that was illegal you know which place to take it up with. Anyone in the office of the Parliament is free to do the same thing,” Lord Tu’ivakanō said in response to the former staff.

Passport saga

Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva  told the House during a debate in 2013, while he was leader of Opposition and Lord Tu’ivakanō was Prime Minister, that he had information that Tongan blank passports were being abused.

He described the mishandling of the Tongan blank passports as a “net that was thrown outside the circle of the Tongan authorities”.

In 2014 Kaniva News revealed e-mails between staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which alleged Lord Tu’ivakanō ignored King Tupou VI’s warning not to issue any more diplomatic passports to Chinese man Sien Lee.

According to the e-mails, Sien Lee is a close friend of the Late Queen Mother.

At the time, the former Auditor General, who is now Minister of Finance, Hon. Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa told us Tonga’s passport scandal was one of  the two biggest he had come across in the previous three years.

This morning the Police Commissioner said although he was confined by what he could say publicly, he took the opportunity to thank and commend the Passport Taskforce for their methodical and professional investigation.

As criminal charges are now before a Court of Law no further comments will be made at this time. The Passport investigation continues.”

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