Tongan sedition charges dropped

Updated March 27, 2009 16:11:27

Tonga's Supreme Court has acquitted six men who were charged with inciting the 2006 riots which destroyed the centre of the capital Nuku'alofa. The men were charged with sedition after it was alleged they had addressed a public gathering in the city, which led to the violence which left eight people dead. One of those charged, People's Representative Teisina Fuko, says while he and his colleagues have been cleared, some other members of Parliament are waiting to hear if they have a case to answer in court.


Presenter Campbell Cooney

Speaker: Tonga People's Representative Teisina Fuko

TEISINA FUKO, TONGA PEOPLE'S REPRESENTATIVE: There is another group which is all members of Parliament yet to be trial. Criminally was done last week and there should be answer coming out today. If they win that means there would be no more cases.

CAMPBELL COONEY: So you guys did address meetings on that day or the day before, is that correct?

TEISINA FUKO: Yes. I was the one who said to the people after what I said and we get out and go and see the Prime Minister at his office and they, the indictment's saying that because of what I have said that everything has happened then. It was knocked out because they didn't have any cooperate, they call it cooperate witness to witness it.

CAMPBELL COONEY: There are people who are doing prison time after that event. Does this worry you that they might see that what you did even though you have been found not guilty and been acquitted, that they might see you as having some responsibility for this?

TEISINA FUKO: I think that's best thing ever happen now. If I'm acquitted that means that's it of whatever happened out at 16/11. Nothing ties into that riot, because that riot somehow started on its own. It was, we still blame the government, the legislative assembly for not sitting that day and that's why people were so uptight and then they start the riots.

CAMPBELL COONEY: What's next then?

TEISINA FUKO: Well, we are now free, most of us who has the worst seditious indictments. We are looking forward for the change and there was a mention, my lawyer mentioned that how could it be that we are the people who are trying to get this Government to be more democratic and now the democratic Government has been started which the King has approved a law for all those to be compiled and the change somehow started and we are out there in jail. So I think this is good. Everybody in Tonga now seems to be happy with the outcome of the trial.