The trial of a man convicted of possession of illegal drug and bribery has heard that exhibits in the case had been lost.

Nausaimone Kitekei’aho, 52, of Popua had been convicted of possession of illicit drugs contrary to section 4 (a) (b ) (ii) of the Illicit Drugs Control Act 2003.

He was also convicted for bribery of a member of the Tongan police contrary to section 165(1) of the Tongan Police Act 2010.

As Kaniva News reported, Police Sergeant Sāteki Tu’utafaiva and other Police officers were executing a search warrant in Popua on 24 November 2014.

They seized an amount of cannabis “about half an onion sack” and took photographs of it. They were then taken and stored at the Police station as exhibits.

But the court was told the material had been lost during the refurbishment of the Police station when exhibits were removed to the Longolongo Police station.

Kitekei’aho’s lawyer argued that although the evidence indicated that photographs  had been taken of the cannabis and the cannabis had been seized and weighed, neither photographs nor drugs had been produced in evidence.

However Justice Charles Cato said he was “satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the· Crown has proven the essential elements of the offending involving the accused being in possession of cannabis, the weight of which in the indictment I accept was 3,800  grams  or  134 ounces, which is a large amount of cannabis in Tonga.”

Mr. Cato said he was also satisfied beyond any reasonable doubt that the material was taken into custody weighed and sampled and identified by expert evidence as cannabis or marijuana, an illicit drug.

“I am satisfied that at all material times beyond a reasonable doubt that  the accused  had  custody and control  of the drug, that is possession of it, and that he identified  it  as cannabis”, Mr Cato said.

The court was told that during the search Kitekei’aho had asked Sergeant Tu’utafaiva if they could have a moment to talk.

He offered Tuʻutafaiva $2000.00 and asked him not to search the house.

“Tu’utafaiva asked the accused what he meant and he said the thing is in the room”.

Tu’utafaiva told the court that a door to the room was open and there was a black plastic  bag under the bed.

“The accused told Tu’utafaiva that there was marijuana under the bed”.

Tu’utafaiva declined the offer and told Kitekei’aho that “he would be charged with possession of illicit drugs”.

Kitekeiʻaho denied he attempted to bribe Tuʻutafaiva saying he admitted it when he was interviewed to satisfy his mother because she was sick but Mr Cato did not buy it.

“Accordingly, I convict the accused on one count of possession of illicit drugs contrary to section 4 (a) (b ) (ii) of the Illicit Drugs Control Act 2003, and the second, bribery of a member of the Tongan police contrary to section 165(1) of the Tongan Police Act 2010”, Mr Cato said.

 Tongan Police Commissioner Stephen Caldwell said this week he would not have the reputation of good police officers sullied by the actions of a few.

The Tonga Police Professional Standards Unit is conducting 16 criminal investigations against Police officers and 38 disciplinary investigations are underway.

As Kaniva News reported earlier this week, nine police officers have been suspended from the police force, eight of them in the month of June.

“I have set standards and expect them to be met,” Commissioner Caldwell said.

“The public rightly expect the highest levels of professionalism and ethical behaviour from their Police.

“There is absolutely zero tolerance for unlawful and ill-disciplined behavior. Every police officer is accountable to the law, not above it.”

And the Commissioner was backed up by the Minister of Police, Māteni Tapueluelu, who told a recent Police Recruit graduation ceremony told the Recruits: “Your integrity is not for sale.”

Of the nine officers suspended, one is a senior officer, six are senior constables and two are probationary constables.

In the past five years 12 officers have been sacked for serious misconduct or loss of confidence in their performance.

In the same period five police officers were convicted in the Supreme Court of serious criminal offences.

The Professional Standards Unit staff was recently increased to 13 with the addition of four new officers.

One of the two men who were injured in a shooting in Vavaʻu Saturday 22 remained in hospital, a Ministry of Health spokesperson has confirmed.

The man is now in a stable condition at Vaiola hospital after he and a co-worker were shot in the legs in Neiafu.

Two Tonga Power employees were allegedly shot by a person staying overseas, the spokesperson said.

The victims were from Tongatapu but they went to Vavaʻu to work on a project.

Police could not be reached for comments.

Real Tonga Airlines Deputy CEO Tele Faletau said today a regional service to Samoa should be up and running by August.

And he said that tickets would be less than TP$874.

He made the remarks after a Real Tonga Bae Jetstream turboprop airliner landed in Faleolo International Airport after an 80 minute flight from Vava’u.

Faletau, who is also General Manager Commercial for the Tongan airline, said flying to Samoa had always been a primary goal of the airline’s regional expansion.

“We’re brothers, and we haven’t had any direct services for more than 10 years,” he said.

The Real Tonga test flight brought a delegation of more than 20 employees who were met by a delegation of Polynesian Airlines staff, including Chief Executive Officer Seiuli Alvin Tuala.

Real Tonga was looking to develop a relationship with the Samoan carrier, Polynesian airlines.

Faletau said Samoa and Tonga were next-door neighbours and it made sense for them to work together.

“We’re very happy to be discussing a code share with Polynesian Airlines so that will be a joint Polynesian Airlines and Real Tonga,” he said.

While Polynesian Airlines Chief Executive Officer Seiuli Alvin Tuala declined to comment on the negotiations, Faletau was optimistic about the possibilities.

He said there many Tongans in Samoa and Samons in Tonga, but at the moment they had to take a long and expensive route home via Fiji or New Zealand.

He said a direct flight from Vava’u would be much cheaper, with airfares  below TP$874 (WST1000/ NZ$540)

A ticket between Vava’u to Nuku’alofa with Real Tonga varies from TP$341.50 to TP$381.50.

Real Tonga already has an agreement with Fiji Airways to extend its services to have offer a weekly connection between Vava’u and Nadi via Nuku’aofa.

In a further sign of growing regional airline co-operation, Polynesian Airlines signed a memorandum of understanding with Fiji Airways earlier this week.

The main points

• Real Tonga Airlines Deputy CEO Tele Faletau said today a regional service to Samoa should be up and running by August.
• And he said that tickets would be less than TP$874.
• He made the remarks after a Real Tonga Bae Jetstream turboprop airliner landed in Faleolo International Airport after an 80 minute flight from Vava’u.
• Faletau, who is also General Manager Commercial for the Tongan airline, said flying to Samoa had always been a primary goal of the airline’s regional expansion.

For more information 

Real Tonga Airlines touches down

New agreement to provide vital connection between Nadi and Vava’u

An eight-year-old boy has died after he ran behind a reversing vehicle being driven by a 70-year-old man in Veitongo Monday 25 at about 5pm.

The old man has been charged with manslaughter by negligence.

Police said three young boys, including the victim ran after the van trying to climb over the rear end.

Unfortunately only two of them managed to climb up while the victim did not and fell down before he was run over.

The victim was rushed to Vaiola hospital before he was announced dead shortly after he was arrived.

Police investigation continues.

A cow which had been butchered and removed leaving its head and intestine behind in a tax allotment in Houma, Tongatapu is being treated as suspicious by locals.

One of the three passers-by who came across the incident yesterday said they also found the cow’s rope lead still attached to a coconut tree by the scene.

It is understood the owner of the tax allotment is staying in New Zealand and had visited Tonga regularly.

‘Uhila Takataka, who took a picture of the scene, told Kaniva News he strongly believed a group of thieves had slaughtered and stolen the cow.

He arrived at his conclusion after he saw the intestine and the head were not taken.

Cow’s intestine was one of the traditional tasty food in Tonga when it was prepared and baked.

Takataka shared the photo on Facebook.

Some commentators on the image agreed that this was burglary.

Some said the illegal practice was becoming prevalent these days with thieves selling the meats to black markets.

Attempts to contact the owner of the tax allotment in New Zealand had been unsuccessful.

As Kaniva News reported last year, Police were hunting for thieves who were responsible for slaughtering and stealing of two cows in a tax allotment in the same village, Houma, Tongatapu.

That incident was discovered by a local after he spotted two heads and intestines believed to be those of the cows were left in their owner’s tax allotment.

For more information:

Two cow heads and animal intestines found, Tongan Police investigate