Two weeks after the Supreme Court convicted Tonga’s Finance Minister of electoral bribery, the Prime Minister appears to continue to work alongside him, despite the ruling.
In a judgment delivered on 24 March 2026, the Supreme Court ruled that Lata ‘i Faingata’a Tangimana had committed two acts of bribery during the lead‑up to the 20 November 2025 general election for the Ongo Niua 17 constituency, in breach of section 21 of the Electoral Act.
The court found beyond reasonable doubt that Tangimana, acting indirectly through another person on his behalf, provided valuable gifts of fish to two electors in September 2025, within three months of the election, for the purpose of inducing them to vote.
Justice Garlick KC accepted evidence that the fish were delivered with an explicit request to “remember” Tangimana at the election and rejected the defence claim that the gifts were acts of personal generosity.
The judgment stated that the statutory presumption of bribery applied and had not been rebutted by the respondent.
As a result, the court declared Tangimana’s election void and ordered that its determination be certified in writing to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, formally unseating him as a Member of Parliament.
Section 9 of Tonga’s Electoral Act states:“It shall be unlawful to use threatening language or bribery for the purpose of obtaining votes or of influencing electors in their votes, and any person found guilty of such offence shall, upon conviction, be punished in accordance with the law relating to bribery. Where the offender is a member of the Legislative Assembly, that member shall be unseated, and it shall be lawful for the Minister of Police to prosecute all parties concerned in the offence.”
“Threats and Bribery” – Clause 66 of the Constitution states that:“Any person elected as a representative who is proved, to the satisfaction of the Assembly, to have used threats or offered bribes for the purpose of persuading any person to vote for him shall be unseated by the Assembly.”
Despite the ruling, a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office shows Tangimana continuing to participate in official government activity.
Photographs released with the statement show Tangimana either standing alongside Prime Minister Lord Fakafanua or seated beside Ministry of Finance CEO Kilisitina Tuaimei’api.
In one image, Tangimana is seen posing with the Prime Minister and Chief Executive Officer of the Pacific Catastrophe Risk Insurance Company (PCRIC) ‘Aholotu Palu as the TOP 42,500(US$17, 700) insurance payout cheque is displayed.
The statement avoided naming Tangimana and did not elaborate on his role in the insurance payout.
