Resolution of Claim against the Crown by the Estate of the Late Kali Peaua Fungavaka Featured
Audra Watts, wife of Kali Fungavaka lays the flag on the casket before the funeral of Constable Kali Fungavaka at the LDS Stake Centre in Otara on August 31, 2012 in Auckland, New Zealand.
Nuku'alofa, 4 March 2016. The Attorney General’s Office wishes to inform the public that today Thursday 3 March 2016, the Supreme Court made a declaration that wrongful actions of certain Police Officers as servants of the Kingdom of Tonga towards Kali Fungavaka on the night of 17 August and morning of 18 August 2012 mounted to a breach of his Constitutional rights to life, liberty and freedom within Tonga as provided for in the Constitution of Tonga.
Mr Fungavaka was a New Zealand police officer of Tongan ethnicity, who had died on 23 August 2012 in Nuku’alofa as a result of being assaulted by certain Police Officers and a civilian, whilst he was in Police custody and in the Police cells on the night of 17 August and the morning of 18 August 2012.
The five Police Officers and civilian involved in the assaults were charged and prosecuted in 2014. Two Police Officers were convicted of manslaughter and one Police Officer was convicted of common assault. The civilian was convicted in a separate trial by a judge and jury with causing grievous harm to Mr Fungavaka. The two Police Officers convicted of manslaughter were sentenced to 11 years imprisonment, with one year suspended, and 9 years imprisonment, with one year suspended, respectively. The other Police Officer convicted of common assault, and the civilian, received fully suspended imprisonment sentences.
This declaration made by the Supreme Court under clause 103A of the Constitution was the final outcome of the civil case lodged against the Crown by Ms Audra Watts, as the Administrator of the estate of the late Kali Peaua Fungavaka.
As a result of the Court declaration, the Crown then entered into a deed of settlement with the estate of the deceased to compensate them for their loss, related out of pocket expenses and legal costs. That deed of settlement is confidential between the parties, but it was based on achieving justice for both parties.
In accepting the amicable resolution of the matter, legal counsel for Ms Watts, Mr Frank Hogan of Auckland New Zealand stated that he commended the Crown for taking its stance in this case, and allowing justice to be served, and also providing final closure for Ms Watts. He added that Ms Watts acknowledges the entitlement of the 5 children of Kali Fungavaka to some of the settlement provided by the Crown, and so she will within one month take steps to set up an appropriate trust or trusts for the children.
In response, the Acting Attorney General stated that he was pleased that such an amicable resolution was achieved by the Crown, and that there is satisfaction for both sides after this tragic incident. He also wished to assure the public that the Crown and Tonga Police are doing everything it possibly can to provide the appropriate training and resources to Police officers to avoid any repeat of this incident.
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
‘Aminiasi Kefu,
Acting Attorney General and Director of Public Prosecutions,
Attorney General’s Office
Office Line: (676) 24055/24007 / Direct Line: (676) 25347 / Mobile: 7715314
6 comments
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Ko e ni'ihi ko'eni ne pekia he 16/11 koe fua pe ia 'o 'enau ngaue pango.. na'a nau hu ki he loki safe o e TONFON ke kaiha'a hili 'enau tutu 'oe fale.. pea 'I he'enau hu ki loto kuo loka e matapaa o mahino kuo short circuit he koe matapa ne pule'i faka'uhila pea 'ikai ha loka manual kiai.. pea koe iku'anga ia ko 'enau pekia ai 'I loto he fu'u vela ko'eni... e ikai ketau fakatatau e ta moe tautea ne mole ai e mo'ui 'a Kali pea moe kau kaiha'a mo fakamalohi pea 'oku 'ikai 'ilo'i pe ko hai 'e tukuaki'i kiai na'e faka'ai'ai e tutu he kuo osi e hopo pea 'ikai ha taha ia 'e mo'ua ki he fakatupu 'oe tutu ko'eni.. koe kakai loto tangia pe 'eni ia mo kaihaha'a ne nau lavea he ngaue kovi ne nau fai..
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Talamatangi, 'oku 'i ai ho'o mo'oni. Malo ne si'i lava 'e he Pule'anga compensate atu e Ashika, koeni ko e Famili eni o Kali. Ko e si'i kau mate o e 16/11 'oku te'eki pe keu fanongo au 'oku 'i ai ha seniti ke foaki ma'a kinautolu. Pea ko e kau uki tutu ia, kuo 'osi tokangaekina ia mei Langi.
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'Oku ou tui kapau tetau vakai lelei pe ki he ngaahi me'a 'oku hoko mai ki hotau fonua 'e malava ketau fai pe 'etau fakamaau fakafo'ituitui ki he ngaahi me'a kuo hoko. 'Oku ou faka'apa'apa lahi ki he famili 'o Kali pea pe he ki he fakamaau 'anga ki he tu'utu'uni kuo nau fai ki he tangi ne fai 'e he hoa 'o Kali pe a kuo mahino mai 'eni kuo tali ke totongi haa pa'anga. Fefe nai si'i kakai nenau pekia he 16/11 'oku 'iai nai ha totonu 'a e ngaahi famili ko 'ia kenau 'eke ha totongi huhu'i ki he kakai nenau uki 'a e tutu 'i Nuku'alofa. Ko e si'i kakai 'eni ne nau pekia ko hono fakapoongi 'ehe kau uki tutu. Pea ko hai leva e kakai ko ia?. 'Oku ou tui 'oku 'ilo 'ehe kakai kotoa pe.
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Kou poupou atu kia Finau kae toe tanaki atu pe ki he training 'ae customer care moe customer service, ka mahino ki he kau Polisi ko honau fatongia koe tokoni'i e kakai ka 'oku 'ikai ko hono fiepule'i kitautolu. 'Oku fu'u kei ta'emahino ki he kau polisi e anga hono tauhi honau va moe kakai, he 'oku nau pehe ko honau tefito'i fatongia ko hono pule'i mo angi'i holo e kakai, pea koe me'a ia 'oku nau ma'u ai e anga fieme'a moe fakapupuha'a moe 'afungi he taimi lahi, kamata pe mei he kau taki 'o faai hifo ai ki he kau toki 'osi pilau mai mei he 'apiako polisi.
Fu'u fiema'u e training faka'ulungaanga ka 'oku 'oku tonu foki ke 'uluaki 'asi mai e 'ulungaanga ko ia mei honau kau taki. -
Koe train fakalotu pe o e KATAKI LAHI maae kau Polisi oku fiema'u. Maumautaimi ha toe train kehe，'e ikuna'i e KATAKI e he OFA.
Fakafeta'i kuo 'i ai e solution kuo a'u kiai. Fakamalo kihe kau Polisi he tamani oku mou hanga pe ki ha case e taha ko homau malu'i. Ofa atu kihe famili oe pekia foki. -
Ko e case ko'eni oku totonu ke tokanga kiai e kainga Tonga kapau 'e mo'ua ha siviliane 'i hano ta 'ehe kau polisi pe mole ai 'ene mo'ui ke mou vakai kiai oku lava pe ke claim hoomou totongi mahu'inga fakapa'anga mei Pule'anga kapau 'oku halaia e Kalauni moe kau polisi.. Kuo ngali vale fonua moe potungaue kae mahalo ko ha ako ai pe ia ki he'etau kau ofisa melino ke mahino 'aupito oku holo hono fakaehaua e kakai 'o e fonua.