Ha’apai governor Viliami Manuopangai Hingano was today fined in the Nuku’alofa Supreme Court after he was convicted of unlawful possession of 198kg of turtle meat.
The judge fined him a total of $12,500, the editor of the Kakalu ‘O Tonga Newspaper reported this morning.
Hingano, 46, was in possession of the turtle meat out of the shell, without it being certified by an authorised officer that it came from a turtle of legal size.
He pleaded not guilty and elected trial by judge alone.
Hingano told the court that he had no guilty intent to commit this offence and that he did not know that the law required that there be prior approval to kill a turtle.
But Judge Niu didn’t buy it.
Judge Niu said: “Having heard the accused‘s background, he being a director in the Ministry of Public Enterprises, and he had been a member of Parliament representing District 12 of Ha’apai which included Lofanga, and having grown up and living in Ha’apai, I do not believe his evidence that he did not know that an approval was required before a turtle was killed”.
The family of Liufau Vake, a 25-year-old promising Mixed Martial Art fighter is advocating to keep him on life support after consultations with doctors at Auckland hospital.
Family rally to support Vake while he’s in comma. (Inset) Vake and his daughter. Photos/Supplied
His maternal aunt has confirmed this to Kaniva News this morning saying Liufau’s mother was optimistic and wanted more time while she and her whole family were praying for her son.
Vake who was in comma for three days now since Sunday 16 was put on ventilator but he allegedly never recovered consciousness.
He was rushed to hospital after he was allegedly attacked on Symonds St just before 3am.
It is alleged Vake fell after being hit from behind.
Police and St John emergency services were called to the scene, near the intersections of Khyber Pass Rd and Newton Rd in Eden Terrace, at 2.55am.
Two people were initially taken into custody.
Police later charged a total of four men who appeared in the Auckland District Court on Monday.
One is charged with common assault, another is charged with two counts of assaulting with intent to injure, while the other is charged with wounding with intent and injuring with intent.
The fourth man is a 32-year-old who has been charged with common assault.
Police say inquiries are continuing into the circumstances of the incident.
However, they are not looking for anyone else in relation to it.
Vake’s family, friends and kāinga as well as the mixed martial arts community have rallied to support him and his family.
A Tongan has died after getting a Covid-19 vaccination, but the Ministry of Health says there is no direct link.
The death of the 93-year-old woman a day after receiving her Covid-19 vaccination was “due to non-communicable diseases including a heart condition”, the Minister of Health Prof ‘Amelia Tu’ipulotu was quoted by local media as saying.
The Minister reportedly said the death was investigated.
The elderly woman was given the jab together with members of her family.
The Ministry previously said it remained confident the vaccine was safe and effective.
Meanwhile, it said it is working to make sure more of the vital vaccines do not go to waste by lowering down the vaccination ages from 35 to 30.
It has also broadened the vaccination roll-out to the people of ‘Eua island starting today Thursday 19.
Prof Tu’ipulotu said 22,363 people have been vaccinated so far.
“This means that about 80% of Tonga’s first vaccines batch has been used with none gone to waste”, she said.
“Don’t miss out on the last few weeks of the national rollout. If you are aged 30 and above, aged 18 with an NCDs or disabilities, come get vaccinated this week – Digi Square or NCD Centre”.
Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa was elected as new president of the Tonga Rugby Union.
PM Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa. Photo/Tonga Parliament
He replaced former president MP Siaosi Pohiva.
The renewal of the union’s presidency comes after a new Chief Executive Officer, Peter Harding was confirmed in January.
Meanwhile, the ‘Ikaletahi will face the All Blacks at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland in July.
New Zealand Rugby has confirmed the dates and venues for the Tests against Tonga and Fiji.
The All Blacks will play Tonga at the Warriors home ground on July 3rd.
Former All-Black, Malakai Fekitoa, is poised to return to Tonga’s 15-a-side ranks, after committing to play for the national sevens team in next month’s final Olympic qualifier in Monaco.
“We’ve done the documents for him and New Zealand have released him back to Tonga who he originally played for when he was 18,” TRU Chief Executive Peter Harding has told Pacific Beat.
“We have probably two others, (who’re ready to make the switch) we’re just confirming at the moment who will be playing for us, but that’s about the maximum we have at the moment because of the fixture clash with the big European club competition finals.”
“We’re going to put out a very good side of professional Europe-based players over there. Everyone’s incredibly keen to play. I’m not sure whether we’ll qualify, but I’m not sure we won’t qualify either,” Harding said.
The crown prosecutor has recommended a fine of TOP$10,000 for Viliami Manuopangai Hingano after he was convicted of unlawful possession of 198kg of turtle meat.
Ha’apai governor Viliami Manuopangai Hingano
But the governor’s lawyer has argued a $1,000 fine was appropriate, the Kakalu ‘O Tonga newspaper reports.
The Supreme Court is expected to sentence Hingano tomorrow Wednesday 19.
Hingano, 46, was in possession of the turtle meat out of the shell, without it being certified by an authorised officer that it came from a turtle of legal size.
He pleaded not guilty and elected trial by judge alone.
Hingano told the court that he had no guilty intent to commit this offence and that he did not know that the law required that there be prior approval to kill a turtle.
But Judge Niu didn’t buy it.
Judge Niu said: “Having heard the accused‘s background, he being a director in the Ministry of Public Enterprises, and he had been a member of Parliament representing District 12 of Ha’apai which included Lofanga, and having grown up and living in Ha’apai, I do not believe his evidence that he did not know that an approval was required before a turtle was killed”.
Tonga is hoping the famous sea of red will turn out in force when they face the All Blacks in their first rugby test in almost two years.
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND – NOVEMBER 25: Tonga fans during the 2017 Rugby League World Cup Semi Final match between Tonga and England at Mt Smart Stadium on November 25, 2017 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)
The ‘Ikale Tahi will take on the three time world champions at Auckland’s Mount Smart Stadium on 3 July in their first match since the 2019 World Cup.
Tongan fans have previously packed out the South Auckland stadium for rugby league tests against England, New Zealand and Australia.
Tonga Rugby Union CEO Peter Harding is hoping their loyal supporters will turn up en masse.
We’re hoping that we get everybody there…a sea of red. There might be a little bit of black in there at some stage but we’re hoping for as much red as we can possibly get in there,” he said.
“Our fans are very very passionate and they’ll get out there and support the team no matter what, so what we want is a full stadium, everyone turning up and everyone dressed in a red jersey.”
Manu Samoa will face the Māori All Blacks in the curtain raiser at Mount Smart Stadium, before Samoa and Tonga clash in two Rugby World Cup qualifying matches on consecutive weekends.
Peter Harding said he discussed with ‘Ikale Tahi coach Toutai Kefu whether playing the All Blacks would help or hinder the kingdom’s World Cup hopes, before deciding it was an opportunity they could not afford to turn down.
“We have to take that game to give the players the opportunity to test themselves against the best team over the last ten years and it’s not really for us to decide to take that opportunity off them. How many times do we get it? We don’t get it very often. We wanted to make sure they got the chance to play the All Blacks.”
Despite the excitement of playing New Zealand, Tonga’s main focus remained the two-tests against Samoa on 10 and 17 July, from which the aggregate winner will qualify for Rugby World Cup 2023.
“Our one objective this July is to qualify for the World Cup again,” Harding stressed.
“Once we qualify then we can really get stuck into preparing for it: blooding new people, blooding new players, blooding new staff, but until that’s done then everything is up in the air. It has to be the number one priority.”
Most of Tonga’s European based players will not be able to travel to New Zealand for the qualifying matches, because of the requirement to quarantine for 14 on arrival, but Toutai Kefu and his staff were working hard to put together the strongest squad possible, Harding said.
“All the original planning was done about the majority of the squad coming from Tongan qualified players living in New Zealand and the majority of the squad will be based around those sort of players.
“We’re in this situation that we can’t control so we’re doing whatever we can to make sure we get a good team and a good bunch of staff out there on the day.
“With the talent around, if you look through ITM Cup (NPC in New Zealand) and Super Rugby teams there’s a lot of Tongans who can play and play well, and we’re doing our very best to convince them to play for Tonga.”
A venue for the first test between Tonga and Samoa on 10 July is yet to be confirmed, with the All Blacks hosting Fiji at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin on the same day.
All four teams will take part in a double-header the following weekend at FMG Stadium in Hamilton.
The family and cousins of a Tongan young father who is currently fighting for his life in Auckland hospital are asking for prayers and positive thoughts for their son.
Liufau Vake. Photo/Supplied
Liufau Vake is being treated with serious injuries after he was attacked in central Auckland early Sunday morning May 16.
Police said officers responded to reports of a group of people fighting on Symonds St in central Auckland at about 3am.
The incident happened near the intersections with Khyber Pass Rd and Newton Rd in Eden Terrace, just south of the CBD.
Two people were taken into custody. Police said they are not looking for anyone else in relation to the matter.
Vake’s uncle-in-law Veili Pāongo shared photos of the victim’s family and friends rallying at his bedsides this evening and asking for prayers.
He said members of the UFC Tongan Mixed Martial Art (MMA) fight community including coach Lolo Heimuli were at the hospital.
Vake is a talented fighter and people around him looked up to him because he was “a rising star” in his boxing field, Pāongo said.
The death of Fuifuikula ‘O Lofakaitamaki ‘Ealelei, 36, from Haveluloto, Tongatapu was referred to a corona.
His co-workers attempted to wake him up on Sunday May 16 at 12pm before they realised he was dead, RSE Liaison Officer in New Zealand Sefita Hao’uli told Kaniva News this afternoon.
‘Ealelei died at the Mr Apple Tongan RSE worker’s accommodation at Williams St, Hastings.
Police and emergency services attended the scene.
The deceased’s family and next of kin were contacted in Tonga.
They got a chance yesterday to watch ‘Ealelei’s body on a live video stream, Hao’uli said.
His family are now working together with Tongan and New Zealand authorities to bring his body back home to Tonga.
The young father is survived by his wife and their two children.
A prayer vigil for ‘Ealelei is being conducted by the Tongan RSE workers in Hastings.
Samoa’s Supreme Court has thrown out the Head of State’s decision to call a second election, clearing the path for the newcomer FAST party to form a government.
Samoa’s parliament Photo: RNZ Pacific /Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia
Announcing the second election earlier this month, Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II told Samoans it was the best way to break the political deadlock that emerged after last month’s election.
However the court today found that he had no constitutional power to call for the election while outstanding matters relating to April’s election were still unresolved.
The Supreme Court in Samoa has thrown out the electoral office’s decision to appoint an extra woman member of parliament.
It means the decision breaks a month-long deadlock from the April election, handing the newcomer FAST party a majority.
The Faatuatua ile Atua Samoa ua Tasi party leader, Fiame Naomi Mataafa Photo: RNZ Pacific/Tipi Autagavaia
The electoral office last month added the extra seat purportedly to meet a provision in the constitution that 10 percent of seats are reserved for women.
That extra seat fell to the caretaker HRPP government, creating a 26-all deadlock.
But the Supreme Court today returned a unanimous verdict ruling that decision was unconstitutional.
However, this decision was the premise for the head of state’s controversial call for a snap election, scheduled for Friday.
Whether that call was constitutional is to be ruled on this afternoon by the Supreme Court.
The Minister reportedly said the death was investigated.
