Car-purchase scandal exposes love affair

The mother of a Tongan teenage girl who was in the middle of a car purchase scandal is now in a tight spot after revealing she allegedly had an affair with the man she accused of taking her daughter’s money.

Teuila Kavaliku claimed she gave Kolio Tapueluelu, a salesman at one of the Otahuhu car dealerships $14,500 cash to buy a new car for her19 year old daughter Rowena Kavaliku.

The cash money for the car purchase came from a personal loan made by Rowena after they sought advice from Tapueluelu, it was claimed.

Ms Kavaliku chose a car at the GM Cars in Otahuhu where Tapueluelu works. The Kavaliku claimed Tapueluelu delivered a different car to their home and Rowena refused to accept it. They finally asked for their money back.

Tapueluelu, an ex-police officer in Tonga for 17 years said he was surprised when he was contacted by the media because Teuila knew really well and agreed with what he was doing with the money she gave him.

“There was a promise between me and her to remain silent and never speak to anyone about anything regarding our relationship and the money,” Tapueluelu claimed (in Tongan).

“She was not telling the truth. We used the money together with her at the casino, pokie machines at bars. Sometimes at other places we went to when she called during night time to pick her up because she was drunk,” he added in Tongan.

“Most of the places we went to could have been captured on the security cameras at the casino, bars, motels and nightclubs,” said Tapueluelu.

Teuila told Kakalu-‘O-Tonga Newspaper that  they went to the casino  with Tapueluelu. She told the paper Tapueluelu borrowed  $800 in which she gave it to him.

All she asked me was to look for a car as long “as it pleases Rowena” and never let her know about “anything and how we used the money,” Tapueluelu said.

In a One News story on Sunday this week, a secret recorded tape of a meeting between the Kavaliku and Tapueluelu was made public. In the recording, Teuila sobbed out her troubles and referred to Tapueluelu, “He is saying different stories every day, different stories. Don’t talk to me! Don’t talk to me!”.

In his response, Tapueluelu said in Tongan, “Ko koe ‘oku ‘ikai ke ke tu’u ma’u,” (translated) “It is you who is not standing firm.”

Tapueluelu said the secret recording of their conversation by the Kavaliku was “a drama Teuila made out of what has happened to satisfy her daughter, Rowena”, fearing that she might do something nasty if she would find out their affairs and how  they spent the money.

Kaniva News contacted Teuila and asked for an interview and she agreed saying she would contact us. However she finally declined to talk to us when we rang to confirm a time for the interview. When she was told that Kolio claimed they were  in a sexual relationship she denied it and hung up the phone. She also texted and threatened to sue us.

Teuila, who allowed other Tongan media and One News to interview her,  gave Kakalu-‘o-Tonga newspaper this week a statement that shows otherwise.

(Translated). “This newspaper (Kakalu-‘O-Tonga) contacted Teuila to confirm a claim by Kolio that they were in a relationship and she said “yes” it was true  but they just did it once and she was sexually assaulted,” said the newspaper.   “Na’e fetu’utaki e nusipepa ni (Kakalu-‘O-Tonga Newspaper)  kia Teuila ….pe na’e ‘i ai ha’ane konga mo Kolio pea ne pehe ‘io ‘oku mo’oni pe ka na’e tu’o taha pe ko e  fakamalohi’i ia.”

Tapueluelu claimed his sexual relationship with Teuila was consensual.

Teuila, who is a diploma graduate from the New Zealand Best Training Institute told  Tongan KeleÊ»a newspaper another different story on the same issue. The Kele’a Newspaper quoted Teuila as saying (Translated) “…Kolio  suggested to her that if they would not have sex he would not give her the car…and she said yes she was willing to do what he was asking for as long as he would give them the car.”  “Na’e fakaha ange ‘e Vaiangina (Kolio Tapueluelu) kapau ‘e ‘ikai ke na mohe ‘e ‘ikai ke ma’u ‘ena me’alele…pea ne pehe ‘io te ne fai hono loto kae fai mo ‘omai ‘ena me’alele.”  

The newspaper claimed the duo then proceeded to a motel in which according to Tapueluelu, Teuila paid a room for them.

Tapueluelu’s wife, ‘Elisapesi, revealed to Kaniva News  how she was absolutely shocked when she discovered for the first time during the 34 years she spent with Kolio that he had an alleged affair with a woman, referring to Teuila.

“I was suspicious sometimes in early September when Kolio regularly came home late at night and sometimes he arrived almost at day light,” Mrs Tapueluelu said in Tongan

“Early  one morning, Kolio’s mobile phone rang while he was asleep. I  answered the phone and a lady asked for Kolio.

“The lady sounds offended and insisted to speak to Kolio.

I asked her to talk to me…I am Kolio’s wife. Kolio  woke up and grapped the phone from me saying it was Ê»Alisi,  who wanted to buy a car,” Mrs Tapueluelu said.

We argued over the telephone call and Kolio finally told me it was Teuila, Mrs Tapueluelu added.

Mrs Tapueluelu since then moved and stayed with their eldest daughter at Manurewa.

She had talked to police about suing Teuila for committing adultery with her husband.