The Civil Aviation Office (CAO) announced this morning the provisional lifting of the suspension on Lulutai Airlines Ltd’s Part 145 Maintenance Certificate, effective immediately on 23 July 2025.
The lift comes after a temporary grounding was issued on July 19 against the national airline due to concerns over its maintenance standards.
The CAO said that, after a review, Lulutai Airlines has satisfactorily addressed the previously identified safety breaches, according to a statement posted by the Ministry of Infrastructure.
The airline has implemented corrective measures to ensure compliance with aviation maintenance regulations, it said.
“The decision to lift the suspension is provisional and will be closely monitored by the Civil Aviation Office accordingly,” the post read.
It says any further non-compliance by Lulutai may result in immediate reinstatement of the suspension without prior notice.
“A final decision on full revocation or reinstatement of the suspension will be communicated in due course.”
Affected passengers and stakeholders with operational inquiries are advised to contact Lulutai Airlines directly for updates on flight schedules and maintenance operations.
The CAO reiterates its commitment to upholding the highest safety standards in Tonga’s aviation sector to protect passengers and ensure air travel reliability. Further updates will be provided as necessary.
What began as a routine school incident involving a Tonga College student in possession of cannabis leaves has led to the imprisonment of a Ha’ateiho man for nearly two years.
‘Aisea Pese Havea, 42, pleaded guilty to three charges: cultivating three cannabis plants (a Class B controlled drug) with a total weight of 2,300 grams; possession of 2.11 grams of cannabis; and possession of a homemade bong used for consuming illicit drugs.
He was also found in unlawful possession of ammunition, specifically four .22 calibre bullets, without a firearms licence.
The case unfolded when police received a report that a student, Salesi Fangaake, was found with cannabis leaves at Tonga College in February.
Officers arrived at the school, where Fangaake was with Deputy Principal Solo Lemoto.
The student admitted to picking the leaves from a taro plantation behind his home in Ha’ateiho—a plot belonging to his neighbour, Joe Masima.
Acting on this information, the Drugs Squad proceeded to Masima’s residence, where he and his wife were present.
Police were directed to the backyard taro plantation, where they discovered a small shelter.
Inside, they found a man—later identified as the Defendant, lying on a bed.
Nearby, officers spotted three plants resembling cannabis.
Police Officer Feinga informed Havea of their investigation into suspected illicit drugs.
He was cautioned of his rights but admitted ownership when questioned about the plants, stating they were marijuana.
Havea felt deep remorse and regretted his actions, the court documents show.
The probation officer reported that he could change if given the opportunity and recommended he attend the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Course with the Salvation Army as part of his sentence.
When Havea was arrested, he was still serving an active six-month suspension from a previous imprisonment case, which was factored into his latest sentencing.
During sentencing, the presiding judge, Petunia Tupou KC, said: ‘The defendant is not young and has breached the conditions of a suspended sentence.”
As a result, Havea was convicted and sentenced to one year and eight months in prison.
Canberra, Australia – His Royal Highness Crown Prince Tupouto’a ‘Ulukalala laid a wreath at the Australian War Memorial alongside Australia’s Chief of Defence Force, Admiral David Johnston.
Chief of the Defence Force, Admiral David Johnston, AC, RAN, with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Tonga Tupouto’a ‘Ulukalala, at the Last Post Ceremony, Australian War Memorial, Canberra. *** Local Caption *** The Last Post Ceremony held at the Australian War Memorial on 18 July was attended by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Tonga Tupouto’a ‘Ulukalala, and the Honourable Dr. Taniela Fusimalohi, the Deputy Prime Minister of Tonga, hosted by Admiral David Johnston, Chief of the Defence Force. H
Tonga’s Deputy Prime Minister, Taniela Fusimālohi, also paid his respects as the nations remembered the bravery and sacrifice of those who served.
As the sun set over the memorial, the haunting notes of a lone piper echoed through the air—a tradition of remembrance in the Australian military since the 1920s.
The walls of the memorial bear the Role of Honour, inscribed with the names of 103,096 Australian soldiers who have fallen in service across 34 conflicts and peacekeeping missions since 1860.
The ceremony also saw US Army Pacific Commanding General, General Ronald Clarke, lay a wreath—a fitting tribute to the enduring partnership between Tonga, Australia, and the United States.
From the battlefields of World War II to recent operations in the Middle East, the three nations have stood together in defence of peace and freedom.
This act of remembrance serves as a powerful reminder of the bonds forged through shared struggle and the enduring importance of honouring those who have given their lives for a safer world.
Former Mate Ma’a Tonga player Siosiua Taukeiaho has revealed he wants to have another shot with the Tongan national rugby league team.
Veteran Sea Eagles prop Siosiua Taukeiaho has put his hand up for a Tongan recall in the upcoming Pacific Championships against Samoa and New Zealand.
Taukeiaho told NRL.com that he will be ready to join Tonga for the upcoming Pacific Championships against Samoa and New Zealand if needed.
Taukeiaho, who is playing a key role in Manly’s charge for a finals berth, was one of the pioneers who helped Tonga become an international force at the 2017 World Cup, along with Jason Taumalolo and Andrew Fifita, NRL.com reported.
When Tonga defeated Australia 16-12 in 2019, it was Taukeiaho who led the Pacific nation in the Sipi Tau ahead of one of the biggest upsets in rugby league history.
But he last played for Tonga at the World Cup in 2022.
A Lisfranc injury that restricted him to just 10 appearances for Catalans, including the 2023 Super League grand final, also cost Taukeiaho a deal with the Bulldogs and he thought his NRL career was over.
With Manly offering him a lifeline, the tough enforcer is undergoing a career revival as the Sea Eagles push for a place in the finals following three consecutive wins.
The 33-year-old topped the run metres (193m) for the Sea Eagles in their 18-16 upset defeat of the Storm – Manly’s first win in Melbourne since 2019.
NRL.com reported despite missing the historic 2023 tour to England and last year’s Pacific Championships, in which Tonga were narrowly beaten 20-14 by the Kangaroos in the final, Taukeiaho said he remained available for international duty.
“I always love being a part of the Tonga team,” Taukeiaho told NRL.com.
“If Kristian Woolf gives me the call, I would never say no to putting on that red and white jersey again.
“At the moment, I’m just focused on Manly. It’s about trying to build the performance for my club and international selection will take care of itself but I would never say no to a call-up.”
Manly take on the second-place Bulldogs at Accor Stadium on Sunday and will be filled to the brim with confidence after their win against the Storm.
“Of course, they’re tough team,” Taukeiaho said. “All we’ve got to focus on is us. We’ll go back to the drawing board and see what we need to work on.”
Meanwhile, Tonga Rugby League is trying to secure a home game in Nuku’alofa during the Pacific Cup Championship.
Police have charged a man with arson following a fire which tore through an Avondale church last week.
Emergency services responded to St Mary’s Church on Great North Rd in Avondale shortly after 4am last Monday.
Investigations had been underway following a fire at St Mary’s Church on Great North Road at about 4.20am on 14 July.
Thankfully there were no injuries, however the building sustained serious damage.
Detective Senior Sergeant Rebecca Kirk, Auckland City Crime Squad, says Police had been working hard to identify and located the person responsible.
“Officers arrested a 42-year-old man at a New Lynn property last night.
“He has been charged with one count of arson and will appear in Auckland District Court today.
“This is a great result and I would like to acknowledge the assistance received by Police from members of the public in relation to this investigation.”
National carrier Lulutai Airlines has been grounded following serious concerns raised by Tonga’s Civil Aviation Division (CAD) over aircraft maintenance and safety standards.
The CAD confirmed to local media that the suspension was in response to aviation-related issues involving the government-sponsored airline’s fleet.
Specifically, the airworthiness certificates for two aircraft—Twin Otter (A3-KLT) and A3-SPV—have been revoked due to non-compliance with required maintenance standards.
Acting Director of Civil Aviation reportedly said that the suspension was necessary to ensure public safety, citing the airline’s failure to meet the conditions of a Part 145 maintenance organisation certificate.
No timeline has been provided for when the suspension might be lifted.
Meanwhile, flight services are continuing through an aircraft previously hired from Chatham Aviation, helping to maintain limited connectivity between Vava’u and Tongatapu while Lulutai remains grounded.
It is understood that the Minister for Public Enterprises and Lulutai Airlines officials have been holding urgent meetings since the suspension was announced.
On Saturday, Lulutai Airlines issued a public notice informing passengers of flight cancellations to and from Vava‘u, Ha‘apai, and ‘Eua. The announcement read:
“Please be advised that due to unforeseen circumstances, all flights scheduled for today on Twin Otter (A3-KLT) and A3-SPV have been cancelled.”
The suspension has disrupted domestic travel across Tonga, with many passengers left stranded or forced to seek alternative arrangements.
Tonga’s Chief Justice Malcolm Bishop KC has warned ANZ Bank over its failure to act swiftly in protecting a customer from a major scam, resulting in the loss of $244,500.
Tonga Airport CEO Edgar Cocker. Photo/Kalino Lātū (Kaniva Tonga)
The case involved Mr Edgar Cocker, an ANZ customer, who received a suspicious email and contacted the bank to verify its legitimacy.
ANZ confirmed it was a scam and advised Cocker to delete the message—but took no further action to secure his account, court documents show.
The problem was that although Cocker had received advice from ANZ, he had already clicked on the link, inadvertently revealing his bank details.
These details were then used to withdraw large sums from his account, which were forwarded to the three defendants—purportedly by a man who identified himself as Daniel Wilson—with instructions to pay third parties overseas, including in Turkey and the United States, the court was told.
How the Scam Unfolded
Between 6 June and 20 June 2023, large sums were illegally transferred from Cocker’s account to third parties via three individuals: Ifalemi Ma’u, Kalolaine Kavaefiafi, and Siua Mafi Kavafono’atu.
Wilson claimed he was the Director of the Human Resources Department for Lina Interiors, and he sent them fraudulent letters of appointment offering them roles in a scheme.
In the email, Wilson claimed:
“Our company is looking for reliable, efficient, and dedicated people in Tonga who will represent the company’s interests and carry out basic objectives, as we have no branch there. The work is flexible, home-based, and can be done by anyone without interrupting their daily activities.”
He also offered a basic salary of US$4,500 starting from the first month, with an increment to US$5,500 after the eighth month of successful transactions.
Unknowingly, the trio received stolen funds and were instructed to forward the money elsewhere.
Call for Bank Accountability
Justice Bishop expressed dismay at the bank’s inaction, stating, “I would have thought that with a valued customer with this substantial credit balance, the bank would have taken immediate steps to freeze the account and then got in touch with Mr Cocker to find out what was going on. But they did neither—in fact, they did nothing, and as a result, a substantial sum of money was removed from the account.”
Judge Bishop said he hopes the bank will reconsider its position so that Mr Cocker does not suffer further loss. He added that the bank should also consider revising its scrutiny procedures to ensure such incidents do not happen again.
It is unclear whether ANZ had offered Cocker any compensation.
Court’s Decision on the Defendants
The three defendants faced charges for receiving stolen funds and money laundering.
The stolen money never belonged to Lina Interiors and was illegally obtained from Cocker’s account, the court documents show.
Justice Bishop ruled that the three defendants could not be convicted, as the prosecution failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that they knowingly participated in the scam.
The judge then said: “For the avoidance of doubt, based on the evidence now before me and applying the criminal standard of proof, I find that all three defendants, namely, Kalolaine Kavaefiafi, Ifalemi Ma’u & Siua Kavafono’atu are not guilty of their respective charges and are hereby acquitted.”
The Minister of Public Enterprises, Piveni Piukala, has denied allegations that the New Zealand company, previously contracted to upgrade and manage Vava’u International Airport, has already spent and deposited millions of dollars as an investment in the project.
Minister for Public Enterprises Piveni Piukala (L) and former Interim PM Sāmiu Vaipulu
The revelation comes after the contract between the former interim government and the New Zealand company Green Light Energy (GLE) for upgrading Lupepau’u airport was terminated.
The Eke government revoked the contract with Piukala, stating in Tongan “that signing over the airport, worth $22 million, to a company with questionable status was not a prudent decision.”
TAL Declines to Sign
He said that one reason for revoking the contract was that Tonga Airport Ltd (TAL) had refused to sign it.
During a press conference last week, he said that TAL disagreed with GLE’s business model.
Piukala stated that, in that case, he believed it would be challenging for TAL to collaborate with a company if they disagreed on the business model.
He said it was important for Tonga to “take ownership of its destination”, have a good business plan before “aligning donors and investors” with it.
Airport Money Mystery
The Minister was then pressed during the press conference about GLE’s alleged $2 million deposit and the allegation that it was lost.
Piukala stated that the claim GLE spent $2 million on the airport was untrue.
“There is no record that they had spent two million dollars on anything regarding the airport,” Piukala said in Tongan.
Piukala, who mentioned meeting with GLE, stated that he was informed the company had been instructed to pay for a survey; there were allegations about money being paid for it. However, he had no record of that payment.
Vaipulu’s US$5m Deposit Claims
The recent developments follow claims made by former Interim Prime Minister Sāmiu Vaipulu at a previous press conference, where he alleged that GLE had deposited US$5 million as operational funds.
Vaipulu said that he was unsure whether the money remained with the government or if it had been returned.
In Tongan, he said: “Pea kou manatu‘i ‘e au ki mui na‘e ‘osi transfer mai $5 miliona ‘Amelika ko e pa‘anga ngāue ki he operation ka kuo osi ta‘ofi kātoa pea ‘oku ‘ikai ke u ‘ilo oku kei ‘i heni pe kuo toe fakafoki.”
Three women and one man who were charged in connection with the housebreaking, theft, and arson of the Free Wesleyan Church minister’s residence in Longolongo were sentenced earlier this month for their crimes.
Appearing at the Nuku’alofa Supreme Court, Taniela Matangi, 38, was found guilty of breaking into the complainant’s home in Tongatapu’s Longolongo town on a Sunday in September 2024, stealing items totalling TOP$18,765, USD$4,150, and NZD$8,120.
The notorious offender was apprehended after a child living near the residence provided his description to police.
The child reported that Matangi had left in a neighbour’s vehicle and was dropped off at a residence in Popua.
Matangi’s Separate Offence
The court was told that in a separate offence, Matangi stole from the same residence on his own. On a Sunday in February 2025, Matangi entered the property and stole items valued at a total of $40,600, while Shalina Kumar and ‘Ana Fifita remained in the vehicle.
All the items were cultural tapa and mats of high monetary and cultural value.
Matangi then set fire to one of the bedrooms, exited the house, and once the stolen items were loaded into the vehicle, he told Shalina and ‘Ana to leave. They then drove to Kolomotu‘a.
He made several attempts to sell some of the stolen items but was unsuccessful until he eventually sold two white mats to the fourth defendant, Ma‘ata Ngaue, the court documents show.
In sentencing Matangi, Judge Bishop said he considered the charge of serious arson to be the most severe offence and designated it as the lead charge.
The judge also said Matangi entered an early guilty plea and cooperated with the police, which he considered as mitigating factors. As a result, the judge reduced Matangi’s sentence for serious arson by two years, making a total of five years’ imprisonment.
Receiving Stolen Property
Shalina Kumar, 43, was sentenced for receiving stolen property. Lord Chief Justice Bishop stated that this was a serious matter, as the stolen mats were highly valuable and of cultural significance.
The judge noted that while Kumar was not young and had multiple prior convictions, she had cooperated with police and pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity in her case.
‘Ana Fifita was sentenced for receiving stolen property. She was the youngest of five siblings, unmarried, and has a five-year-old son. She has no known health issues, is unemployed, but helps out at her sister’s seafood market in Patangata.
Ma’ata Ngaue was sentenced for receiving stolen property. The court heard that she was the fourth of ten children, a mother of three, and is now separated from her second husband due to domestic violence and his involvement in criminal activities.
She is in good health, but did not finish secondary school due to financial difficulties. To support her family, she sells crops at the local market.
All Pleaded Guilty
All four previously pleaded guilty to their respective charges and were sentenced at the Supreme Court on July 8, They are:
Matangi, was sentenced to a total period of eight years imprisonment with the last 12 months suspended for two years on conditions.
Kumar was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment with the last six months suspended for two years on conditions.
Fifita was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment with the last six months suspended for two years on conditions.
Ngaue was sentenced to 16 months’ imprisonment with the last four months suspended for two years on conditions.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has finalised its audit of the Tonga Development Bank (TDB), addressing concerns over alleged loan breaches that have raised significant questions about the institution’s lending practices, Deputy Prime Minister Taniela Fusimālohi said.
Tonga Development Bank.Photo/Kalino Lātū
The audit follows criticism by the Eke government of the former Hu’akavameiliku government regarding the bank.
In last year’s proposed vote of no confidence, it stated that the previous administration failed to resolve legal disputes between the two government-owned banks, the TDB and the National Reserve Bank of Tonga (NRBT).
After Prime Minister Eke assumed office in January, he quickly began reforming the TDB.
This included replacing the board of directors, appointing a new chairperson, and resolving the legal dispute with the NRBT that had escalated to court.
The government successfully demanded that the case be discontinued.
Eke said the banks’ customers would ultimately bear the costs incurred.
In response to Eke’s accusation, Hu’akavameiliku previously stated that TDB is a government entity that operates independently.
The decision follows the Public Enterprises Minister’s assertion that a TDB $14 million loan scheme intended to aid low-income earners, including fishermen and weavers, did not achieve its goals. TDB chief executive ‘Emeline Tuita previously denied Piukala’s claim to Kaniva News.
Parliamentary Select Committee
Concerned after a report alleging a breach of loan policy by the TBD, a Parliamentary Select Committee was established to investigate, Fusimalohi said last week.
He stated that the alleged breach involved loans, which would take too long for the TDB to receive repayments.
The Committee recommended that the Eke government appoint a reviewer for the TDB, which led to involvement from the ADB.
The review aimed to clarify what had occurred and which policies and regulations may have been breached, Fusimālohi said.
“The ADB’s assessment has been finalised, and the report has been submitted. The new TDB board has begun following up on the report,” Fusimalohi confirmed in Tongan.
However, he stopped short of disclosing specific findings.
