Tongan MPs await court judgements

Tonga's Supreme Court has yet to confirm a date for the delivery of a judgment that will decide the fate of 'Etuate Lavulavu as the Vava’u No. 16 People’s Representative to Parliament.

The trial in Vava’u, which concluded in December last year was adjourned for the judgement to be delivered sometime this month by Chief Justice O. G. Paulsen.

The election petition filed against Lavulavu by Viliami Latu alleged corruption and bribery during his 2014 General Election campaign, which Lavulavu denied.

Meanwhile, Mateni Tapueluelu Tongatapu No. 4 People’s Representative to Parliament has lodged an appeal, to be decided by the Appeal Court in March or April this year.

He appealed against a judgment on 11 December, 2015 by Chief Justice O. G. Paulsen who declared that Mateni’s endeavour to become a member of parliament by registering as a candidate on 23 October 2014, becoming elected as a People's Representative on 27 November 2014 and taking an oath to be a member of parliament on 19 January 2015, had breached Clause 65 of the Tongan Constitution.

The Chief Justice had declared his election was therefore unlawful and invalid.

Source: PacNews