A third Cabinet Minister’s election outcome has been declared void after the Supreme Court found Poasi Tei guilty of three offences of bribery under section 21 of the Electoral Act.
Tei was found guilty after the court heard a petition from Fane Fituafe who stood unsuccessfully against Tei in the contest for the Tongatapu 6 constituency.
At the time of the election on November 18, 2021, Tei held the seat and was Minister of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC).
He won the election and was appointed Deputy Prime Minister.
Fituafe asked the Supreme Court to overturn the result on the grounds that Tei had committed bribery.
Judge Laki Niu said this morning: “Accordingly, I have come to the conclusion that I am satisfied on the balance of probability that the respondent has committed the following 3 offences under section 21 (1) of the Electoral Act.
“(a) That the respondent committed bribery indirectly by another person by having Saia Penitani give a 5000 litre water to Tevita Leka, an elector of Houma on or about 6 November 2021 to induce him to vote for him.
“(b) That the respondent committed bribery indirectly by another person by having Saia Penitani and Naitoko Vuna give a 5000 litre tank each to Mele Lautaimi , Mele Kalatiola, Sinela Fakava, Piola Veatupu, Palema Fakava, Faiva malie, Mele Amato, Loisi Vake and Sunia Amoula, electors of Houma , on or about 12 November 2021 to induce them to vote for him.
“(c) That the respondent committed bribery indirectly by another person by having Saia Penitani give 2 cartons of frozen chicken, crackers, cocoa, coffee, milk and sugar to the members of the village police post at the end of Houma towards Nuku’alofa , and of similar goods to the members of the post at the end of Houma towards Vaotu’u on 5 November 2021 to induce them to vote for him”.
……………More to come…………..
