Jury finds OBN TV network guilty of criminal libel
Title -- 4203 TONGA: Jury finds OBN TV network guilty of criminal libel
Date -- 27 September 2003
Byline -- None
Origin -- Pacific Media Watch
Source -- Matangi Tonga 20/9/3
Copyright -- MT
Status -- Unabridged
Post a comment on PMW's Right of Reply: www.TheGuestBook.com/egbook/257949.gbook
JURY FINDS OBN TV DEFAMED FORMER MINISTER
www.matangitonga.to/home
pidp.eastwestcenter.org/pireport/2003/September/09-26-09.htm
NUKU'ALOFA (Matangi Tonga Online/Pacific Media Watch): Tonga's Supreme Court has judged Sangstar Saulala, Semisi Kailahi and Oceania Broadcasting Television Network OBN guilty of criminal defamation against the former Minister of Justice, Tevita Tupou, Matangi Tonga reports.
The criminal defamation jury trial followed an OBN television talk show, Matalafo Lau Kai, hosted by Semisi Kailahi on 21 February 2001.
Kailahi related a story about the former minister's missing key, and alleged that pro-democracy campaigner 'Akilisi Pohiva had left with it.
The event was said to had taken place around April 2000.
Tupou told the court that Semisi and Sangstar had damaged his reputation by alluding that he had intended for 'Akilisi to take the key.
Justice Ford presided.
The legal counsel for Sangstar, Semisi and the OBN were William Edwards and Masao Paasi; for the Crown was 'Aminiasi Kefu.
The case was tried by a jury of four men and three women and ran from September 8 to 19.
Matangi Tonga reported that the defendants intended to appeal the jury verdict.
Sentencing was due on September 25.
PACIFIC MEDIA WATCH is an independent, non-profit, non-government organisation comprising journalists, lawyers, editors and other media workers, dedicated to examining issues of ethics, accountability, censorship, media freedom and media ownership in the Pacific region. Launched in October 1996, it has links with the Journalism Program at the University of the South Pacific, Bushfire Media based in Sydney, Journalism Studies at the University of PNG (UPNG), the Australian Centre for Independent Journalism (ACIJ), Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand, and Community Communications Online (c2o).
© 1996-2003 Copyright - All rights reserved. Items are provided solely for review purposes as a non-profit educational service. Copyright remains the property of the original producers as indicated. Recipients should seek permission from the copyright owner for any publishing. Copyright owners not wishing their materials to be posted by PMW please contact us. The views expressed in material listed by PMW are not necessarily the views of PMW or its members. Recipients should rely on their own inquiries before making decisions based on material listed in PMW. Please copy appeals to PMW and acknowledge source.
For further information, inquiries about joining the Pacific Media Watch listserve, articles for publication, and giving feedback contact Pacific Media Watch at:
E-mail: delaro@clear.net.nz or pcronau@hotmail.com Fax: (+649) 3787542 or (+612) 9660 1804
Mail: PO Box 9, Annandale, NSW 2038, Australia
or PO Box 78028, Grey Lynn, Auckland 1002, New Zealand
Website: www.pmw.c2o.org
Return to Pacific Media Watch