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Court documents allege Tu’ivakanō involved in illegal activity worth more than TP$400,000

By
Kalino Latu
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Court documents setting out charges against former Prime Minister and Speaker Lord Tu’ivakanō allege he was involved in illegal activities worth TP$416,391.84.

The court documents were addressed to ‘Eiki Tu’ivakanō (aka) Siaosi Ngalumoetutulu Kaho (aka) Siale ‘Ataongo Kaho.

They ordered Lord Tu’ivakanō to appear at the Fasi court on March 26 at 10am.

The documents were published by Kele’a newspaper this week. One of the documents alleged Lord Tu’ivakanō had received TP$199,408.94 on November 18, 2013 from Sien Lee and Ying Huang Lee while the king’s noble was the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

It said the money was given to persuade him to act in their favour and that he allowed the issuance of documents which proved the holders were Tongan travellers.

According to the document, the application was lodged by ‘Isapela Sātua Tu’akoi with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Immigration Department.

As Kaniva News reported last year, Tu’akoi was one of 15  people listed by the Tonga National Reserve bank as being involved in suspicious money transfers.

The second court document alleged that Lord Tu’ivakanō secretly and illegally transferred money on November 29, 2013 in Nuku’alofa in breach of the laws regarding money laundering and bribery.

The document alleged he received TP$216,982.90 from the proceedings of serious criminal activity and attempted to hide it by depositing it in his housing loan account with BSP bank in Tonga.

As Kaniva News reported, Lord Tu’ivakanō was arrested on March 1 and was charged with making a false statement for the purpose of obtaining a passport, perjury, acceptance of bribery and money laundering.

In 2014 Kaniva News revealed e-mails between staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which alleged Lord Tu’ivakanō had 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 was a close friend of the Late Queen Mother.

The charges against Lord Tu’ivakanō are the result of an investigation pushed by the Pohiva government since 2015.

As we reported at the time, the king assented to the establishment of a royal commission to investigate the passport scandal in 2014.

However the Tu’ivakanō government delayed establishing the commission and wanted to make another proposal to the king.

Lavulavu

Meanwhile, another document had been served on the Minister of Internal Affairs and her husband, the former Minister of Infrastructure ‘Etuate Lavulavu.

It said the Lavulavus had been charged after they allegedly committed crimes on August 2014 using forged documents contrary to section 172 of the Criminal Act to support an application by the Unuaki ‘o Tonga Royal Institute to obtain supplementary government funding to assist students.

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

They were ordered to appear at Fasi court on March 26 at 10am.

One person critically injured in Mangere crash

By
Kalino Latu
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One person is in a critical condition following a crash in the south Auckland suburb of Mangere this morning.

Motorists were advised that there had been a crash on the South-Western Motorway SH20A at Mangere, Auckland and delays were expected.

One car has crashed into a barrier and one person has critical injuries.

The crash occurred shortly after 9am and was westbound on SH20A on the route to the airport.

One lane was blocked due to the crash.

Motorists were asked to avoid the area if possible.

Law firm claims charges against police not based on “clear and fair grounds”

By
Philip Cass
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A Tongan law firm has written to Police Commissioner Steven Caldwell claiming he has not acted fairly over charges and suspensions of 17 police officers.

The firm says only five of the officers have been suspended.

The letter, signed by Siosifa T. Tu’utafaiva, has been copied to the Minister of Police.

“We do not understand the reasons for suspending those five police officers and not the others,” Tu’utafaiva wrote.

“Some of the officers who are not suspended face serious allegations, and we are aware of the senior police officers who face serious criminal allegations but they are not suspended.”

Tu’utafaiva asked for the Commissioner to reconsider the case of Sergeant Malia Fanua, who he said had been suspended without pay.

Sgt Fanua had not been paid for three months.

He said officers who were facing criminal charges were still paid their salaries and not suspended from duty.

Tu’utafaiva, a former Minister of Police, said because no criminal proceedings had been commenced against Sgt Fanua, the decision to suspend her should be considered null and void.

“It may be not appropriate for you to comment on other cases currently under the disciplinary process, but those cases show that the exercise of your discretionary power to suspend police officers from duties is not based on clear and fair grounds,” he said.

Police Commissioner Caldwell has not responded to allegations about his handling of police discipline and corruption because he is restricted in what he can say publicly.

As Kaniva News reported earlier, Minister of Police, Hon. Mateni Tapueluelu, has openly sided with a number of officers protesting about their treatment.

Hon. Tapueluelu said the government told New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern the government did not want the  Police Commissioner’s contract extended.

The Police Commissioner’s position is largely funded by New Zealand.

Last month a Police spokesman said officers had been suspended for “very good reasons.”

“The Commissioner is confined by what he can say publicly on individual criminal and disciplinary cases currently under investigation,” the spokesperson said.

Tonga’s police force has a troubled history of corruption and abuse.

It also has a history of New Zealand police officers working in Tonga being faced with entrenched opposition from police opposed to attempts to clean up the force.

For more information

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

Petition complaints nothing new say police, as Commissioner works on cyclone recovery

 

Warriors game on Saturday to raise funds for Cyclone Gita recovery

By
Philip Cass
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The Vodafone Warriors will raise money for the Pacific Disaster Fund at Saturday night’s game at Mt Smart Stadium.

A $15 ticket is on sale for the first home game of the 2018 NRL season against Gold Coast. Kick off is at 5pm.

The Warriors will donate $5 from every ticket sold to the Pacific Disaster Fund in support of the Cyclone Gita recovery.

They will also work with the Red Cross by holding a bucket collection at the club’s first NRL trial against Melbourne at Rotorua International Stadium on Saturday at 3pm.

“We are a club with strong Pacific links and we want to do what we can to help the island nations,” Vodafone Warriors CEO Cameron George said.

The tickets for the Gold Coast game are available on pre-sale only. The offer expires at 11.59pm on March 16.

The pre-sale for Vodafone Warriors members ends at midday on February 16.

The $15 ticket offer for the Vodafone Warriors v Gold Coast match on March 17 will be available through www.ticketek.co.nz.

The tickets will be available in all areas except the platinum covered and platinum uncovered bays.

You can also make a $3 donation by texting  Red Cross 4644.

As Kaniva News reported earlier, international donors have given TP$52.6 million to Tonga to help the recovery process after Cyclone Gita.

The National Emergency Management Office said Cabinet had allocated $TP21.4 for the Cyclone sub-committee to help the recovery process.

The money would be spent on specific areas including shelter, education, food and security, and communication.

For more information

Donor money allocated to cyclone recovery, but rebuilding yet to be budgeted

Health minister appointed to global NCD commission

By
Kaniva Staff
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Tonga Health Minister Dr. Saia Piukala has been appointed to an independent global commission on non-communicable diseases which the World Health Organisation (WHO) has established to combat the epidemic.

Hon. Piukala along with other commissioners will help raise awareness of the issues and experiences of NCDs in the Pacific.

The regional communities are struggling to cope with the growing burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancers.

The Commission, launched by WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on 16 February 2018, comprises heads of state, ministers, leaders in health and development and entrepreneurs.

It will propose bold and innovative solutions to accelerate prevention and control of NCDs. Of the 37 countries and areas in the Western Pacific Region, Tonga and Singapore have had commissioners appointed.

By global standards, the Western Pacific region has some of the highest rates of NCDs. The major NCDs of cardiovascular and chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes and cancers alone account for more than 8 out of 10 deaths in the region 1.

Many of these deaths are premature (under 60 years of age), and preventable. Tonga is no exception, with recent statistics highlighting that approximately 1 in 5 Tongans have diabetes 2 .

Whilst the burden is significant, these deaths can be avoided by taking action to eliminate tobacco use and harmful use of alcohol, reducing physical inactivity, improving diets and strengthening the screening and management of individuals at risk of NCDs.

“We’ve taken some positive steps to reduce the burden of NCDs in Tonga, but much more needs to be done,” said Honourable Minister Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala. “These are avoidable diseases. This is why we have developed and are implementing a National Strategy for combatting NCDs 3, which localises global guidelines and sets forth realistic, achievable actions for our entire community.

In Tonga, some of the biggest drivers of this crisis are unhealthy diets and lack of physical activity. We need innovative ways to protect people from tobacco, change behaviours and provide our communities with safer, healthier options. As a Commissioner, I look forward to being part of the global discussion to come up with practical solutions that can be applied in the Pacific”.

1 Western Pacific Regional Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases (2014 – 2020). 2 World Health Organization – Diabetes Country Profiles 2016. 3 Tonga National Strategy for Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases 2015-2022.

Combatting NCDs, and promoting mental health and wellbeing, are major priorities for WHO in the Pacific. “Right now, the Pacific is facing an epidemic of NCDs,” said Dr Corinne Capuano, Director of Pacific Technical Support and WHO Representative to the South Pacific.

“That’s why we’re working with Pacific island leaders to take action. We have been supporting Pacific Islands to use local data and knowledge to come up with practical, cost-effective ways to tackle NCDs,” Dr Capuano added. “Success will depend upon bold, proactive leadership by our Pacific leaders, such as Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala.”

The new Commission will provide actionable recommendations to the WHO Director – General Dr Tedros. They may also provide an input to the Third United Nations General Assembly High-level Meeting on NCDs that will take place in New York in the second half of 2018.

Murdered couple: Emotion high as bodies returned home to China

By
Kalino Latu
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Emotion ran high at Taufa’āhau roadsides as the funeral cortege of the Chinese couple’s bodies was led by a Police vehicle to the Fua’amotu International airport.

Mr and Mrs Wen’s bodies, which were found with stab wounds in a bush allotment in Matafonua on February 25, left Tonga to China this afternoon.

Victorina Kioa told Kaniva News she met the couple’s funeral procession on the road.

“I was on my way back from USP after dropping my kids off. I just parked by the roadside while I was in tears.  So sad,” she said.

There were reports on social media of motorists parking their vehicles at the roadsides to show their respect to the couple when their cortege was heading to the airport at noon.

As Kaniva News reported, Police have arrested two male teenagers 17 and 15 on March 1 and charged them with murder after the couple’s bodies were found.

The Hon. Prime Minister paid a tribute to the couple.

Hon. Pōhiva said words cannot express how deeply sad and disappointment  he was  to know that Mr. and Mrs. Wen were killed in a most violent way.

“I am also very sad to know that the alleged assailants are a 15 year old and a 17 year old”.

The couple used to sell vegetables at the Talamahu vegetable market as well as at road-side stalls in Fanga’o Pilolevu.

They were well-known to people who bought vegetables from them.

King expresses concern over increasing alcohol and drug related deaths

By
Kalino Latu
-

His Majesty King Tupou VI has spoken about his concern about the recent  increasing rate of deaths caused by the abuse of alcohol and prohibited drugs.

He said it was unfortunate that after Tonga survived tropical cyclone Gita without many fatalities, people had been killed on road accidents and alleged murder cases.

As Kaniva News reported, there had been 13 deaths in Tongatapu and Vava’u since February 4.

Of the 13 fatalities, six were suspected murder cases while seven had been deaths in road accidents.

One woman reportedly died in cyclone Gita.

Several other road accidents were reported on social media within this period.

The king said these incidents had affected all sectors of the Tongan community.

His Majesty’s statement was delivered live on air from Tongan Parliament in Tofoa by Lord Vaea.

He said if the community worked together to fight against these problems it would bring hope to the nation while it recovered from Cyclone Gita.

He said Tonga should appreciate the assistance from overseas countries and donors to help its people after the cyclone.

The main points

  • His Majesty King Tupou VI has spoken about his concern about the recent increasing rate of deaths caused by the abuse of alcohol and prohibited drugs.
  • He said it was unfortunate that after Tonga survived tropical cyclone Gita without many fatalities, people had been killed on road accidents and alleged murder cases.
  • As Kaniva News reported, there had been 11 deaths in Tongatapu and Vava’u since February 4.

For more information

Alcohol use in the Pacific region

Suspected drunk driver charged after Vainī Sunday crash

By
Kalino Latu
-

An allegedly intoxicated man has been charged after a crash on Taufa’āhau main road in Vainī on Sunday 11.

The Ma’ufanga man was allegedly speeding while driving east on Taufa’ahau road before his van veered off and crashed into a power pole.

The driver and a female passenger were injured.

As Kaniva News reported on Sunday, photos taken at the scene by an eyewitness showed the man and the woman lying motionless outside the van by the roadside.

The photos also showed bystanders, mostly in church attires, gathered to watch and help.

The crash came after a fatal road accident the previous Sunday in Fo’ui which claimed a 36-year-old man’s life.

Drivers urged to avoid part of Great South road after serious crash

By
Kalino Latu
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NEW ZEALAND: Drivers are asked to avoid a stretch of Great South Road, Papatoetoe following a collision involving a truck and a car.

One person is trapped.

Emergency services were called to the crash at 5.29am, between Carlie St and Allenby Rd.

The road is closed in both directions in that area and local diversions are in place.

Parliament closes after 10 days

By
Kaniva Staff
-

His Majesty King Tupou VI will close the doors on Parliament this morning after a 10-day sitting since March 5.

The closing was scheduled after the Speaker Lord Fakafanua announced the parliamentary sittings last month.

“The Legislative Assembly of Tonga’s current sitting will conclude on Thursday 15 March 2018 with a Soft Closing ceremony 10:30am,” a statement from the Office of the Legislative Assembly said.

“His Majesty, the King, has commissioned three Nobles of the Realm, Lord Vaea, Lord Tu‘iha‘ateiho and Lord Luani, to deliver the Speech from the Throne.

“The Legislative Assembly of Tonga opened on the 11 January 2018.

The Soft Closing ceremony on Thursday will be the first held at the Legislative Assembly’s temporary location in Tofoa.”

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