Tonga Law Society concerned with Dr. Eke's press release Featured
MEDIA STATEMENTS
15 June 2021
The Tonga Law Society is concerned at the recent public statement made by Dr ‘Aisake Eke regarding aspects of Justice Cooper’s decision in the criminal case against ‘Akosita and ‘Etuate Lavulavu.
Trust in the independence of the courts and respect for the rule of law are critical to democratic government.
All citizens are bound to follow the rule of law – including Ministers of the Crown, Members of Parliament, and government officials.
All must abide by the decisions of the courts, which decisions are made by judges personally appointed by His Majesty.
There is never any justification for undermining or attacking the legitimacy of judges who are fulfilling their judicial oaths through the exercise of their independent and impartial judgment.
Judges must be allowed to do their job without fear of criticism, retaliation or retribution because without it, judicial independence is threatened, and the rule of law is undermined.
Sione T Fonua
(President of Tonga Law Society)
4 comments
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THANK YOU POUONO...A "QUID PRO QUO" favor is what Dr. Eke and PM Tu'i'onetoa's government are trying to turn this historical case in Tongan politics vs. Tonga's judiciary into: A CIRCUS.
Their laughable pot-shots at an independent justice who did exactly what his duties required, and did not faze under tremendous political pressure, speaks volume. The Prime Minister's Government brought their heavyweight artillery ironically to pay their debt of gratitude to the guilty parties' role in crafting the PM's ascension to Tonga's most powerful political office.
Dr. Eke representing the Tu'i'onetoa's government in challenging Justice Cooper's integrity as the defender of the laws of the Kingdom, even insulted the honorable justice's intelligence by providing colorful testimonies. Justice Cooper was not hoodwinked.
Resulting in Dr. Eke now accusing church-school sponsors of committing the same fraudulent behaviors Mr. and Mrs. Lavulavu are guilty of. What makes an idiotic person with a doctoral academic degree say an idiotic thing as such?
Dr. Eke and Dr. Tu'i'onetoa owe their current political career successes to Mr. 'Etuate Lavulavu - it is now displayed in broad daylight. A "quid pro quo" has now been executed in the Kingdom's highest levels.
But Justice Cooper's last words that the deception in this fraudulent case which stole over half a million dollars from the "educational funds of the children of this Kingdom," is difficult for anyone to swallow. Dr. Eke and Dr. Tu'i'onetoa are only paying back a political debt to Mr. Lavulavu, the founder of 'Unuaki 'o Tonga Royal Institute (UTRI). The latter was the mastermind behind creating the current Dr. Tu'i'onetoa's government.
The two political debtors to Mr. Lavulavu can simply recall: "He made us an offer we cannot refuse."
And now they must pay the piper. Their political careers are tarnished forever. -
What factually was the actual basis of Dr 'Aisake Eke's recent public statement regarding Justice Cooper's decision in the criminal case against 'Etuate and 'Akosita Lavulavu? Wasn't Dr Eke the Finance Minister during the time in which the funds were transferred from the Ministry of Finance to 'Unuaki 'o Tonga Royal Institute? Isn't the fundamental issue here not when, why, where, and how the funds were transferred from one party to other but rather 'what was really the way through which the funds were claimed by 'Unuaki 'o Tonga Royal Institute?' Of all these, wasn't the decision of the courts principally based in the fraudulent manner in which the claims of the funds by 'Unuaki 'o Tonga Royal Institute were falsely made by means of deception? Should and must we let justice fully exercise its constitutional independence allowing it to take its natural course without political hinderance and subjective interference? Isn't the rule of law what democracy is all about, let alone good governance and good leadership?
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'ĒTITA...KUO KONĀ 'A E PM MO 'ENE KAU PONÉ 'I HE HU'IVAI HOPI 'A 'ETUATE LAVULAVÚ MO 'AKOSITÁ...
Kuo 'osi fakahoko e fakamaau totonú (justice) 'ihe kakato 'a e tali tonuhia 'a e ongo faka'iloá mo 'ena kau fakamo'oní 'e Fakamaau Lahi Justice Cooper. Pea na'e toutou toloimai 'a e hopó ni 'ihe laulau-ta'u.
Na'e hulu e kau fakamo'oni ma'á e ongo Lavulavú 'o kau ai mo e tokotaha mā'olunga 'i pule'anga, Dr. 'Aisake Eke, pea mo e poupou kātoa 'a e Palēmiá. Ka na'e 'ikai lava kenau tala 'a e totonú ke tui kiai 'a Fakamaaú Cooper ki he 'enau "loí". Kuo nau tukuaki'i tokua ko e fakamaau fo'ou pea 'oku te'eki maheni mo e founga fakamaau totonu 'a Tongá (???????).
Ka e mālō ia ko e fakamaau fo'oú (Justice Cooper) 'oku nofo 'ihe ta'e-filifilimānako 'a e laó. Mahinomai ko e vili kikihi 'a e Palēmiá mo hono pule'angá kenau faka-tonuhia'i 'a e tu'utu'uni "halaia" 'o e ongo Lavulavú, kuo nau konā kotoa 'ihe hu'i hopi 'a e ongo Lavulavú. Pea 'oku nau poupou'i 'a e ngāue'aki hala mo e kākā 'o e mafai politikalé.
Fakamālō ki he Tama Tu'í (Tupou VI) ko 'ene finangalo ke 'omai 'a Justice Cooper ki he Fakamaau'anga Lahi 'o Tongá.
Kuo fuoloa 'a e kākā'i 'e he ongo mātu'á ni 'ihe 'ena va'iva'inga'aki 'a e falalá mo e fu'u pa'anga ko e kakava 'o e kakaí 'o e Pule'anga Tongá. -
Lea mai e kau loea 'a e fonua 'oku nau 'ilo e lao kae kikivi atu pe kau LLB facebook ia...Malie Tonga