Seven Georgians who arrived in Tonga on forged Greek passports appeared at the Fasi magistrate’s court today.
They were charged with forgery after Police arrested them last Friday, October 7, for using Greek passports that were reported stolen or lost to Interpol.
And in a bizarre twist, it appears they may have decided to come to Tonga after seeing pictures of Tongan athlete Pita Taufatofua at the Rio Olympics.
Kaniva News has seen documents which show the Georgians’ travel tickets were issued in Slovakia.
During this morning’s hearing before Chief Magistrate Folau Lokotui, the court was told the Georgians came to Tonga with the intention of travelling to New Zealand on the fake Greek passports and stay there because Greek citizens could enter New Zealand without visas.
One of the Georgians, 10-year-old Armaz Khuluzauri (a.k.a. Nilolaos Markopoulos), was initially charged with using forged documents.
But his charge was later struck off after the Acting Attorney General, ‘Aminiasi Kefu, submitted the boy could not have acted alone.
Chief Magistrate Lokotui told the boy that his charge had been struck off and that he was free.
The accused were Koba Shinjikashvili (a.k.a Athanassios Panagiotopoulou), Nino Menabdishvili (a.k.a Anastasia Papadatos), Dato Dekanoidze (a.k.a Stefanos Markopoulos), Zaza Tsikarishvil (a.k.a Evangeles Dragandis), Maia Garibashivili (a.k.a Aikaterini Markopoulous and Genadi Gachechiladze (a.k.a Stefanos Papadatos).
The accused were visibly in dire straits when they arrived in court. They had no legal representation, could not speak English and told the court they had no money to buy food and to rent an accommodation.
The accused were provided with a translation device during the hearing, but still appeared to have trouble understanding what was said.
The relationship of the accused to each was not revealed during their short appearance at the lower court.
As we reported when police searched the group’s accommodation they found another seven Georgian passports which are thought to contain their real identities.
House arrest
Kefu said all of the accused would remain under house arrest until they returned to court on October 24.
“They have no finances at this point,” he said.
They will be fed by the police in the meantime.
The Chief Magistrate set their case aside so they could be provided with a translator.
“This is a very serious offence to use fake passports alleged to have been Greek passports but you are Georgian citizens,” Chief Magistrate Lokotui said.
The accused were also told they had a right to legal representation.
Olympic connection
In a bizarre twist to the case, Tupou’ahau Fungavaka, the manager of the Green Lodge in Tofoa, where the accused have been staying since they arrived in Tonga on September 22, told Kaniva News the Georgians wanted to come to Tonga after they heard about the kingdom from Olympian Pita Taufatofua.
Taufatofua, 32, became a media sensation after his glistening torso stole the limelight at the Olympic Opening Ceremony in Rio. Global media reports said the inquiries about Tonga through cheapflights.com.au soared 68 per cent compared with the week before the Rio Games.
Fungavaka told Kaniva News last week that she had initially offered to feed and house the travellers on the understanding they would pay her back, but that she ran out of money and wondered who would pay their bill.
Kaniva News has seen documents showing that TP$1433.64 (US$700) was sent to Tonga through Western Union money transfer from a person in Tbilisi, Georgia, called Nona Mokheve,
We were reliably told the money was sent to one of the accused and used to pay their debts to Green Lodge.
The main points
- Seven Georgians who arrived in Tonga on forged Greek passports appeared at the Fasi magistrate’s court today.
- They were charged with forgery after Police arrested them last Friday, October 7, for using Greek passports that were reported stolen or lost to Interpol.
- Kefu said all of the accused would remain under house arrest until they returned to court on October 24.
- In a bizarre twist, it appears they may have decided to come to Tonga after seeing pictures of Tongan athlete Pita Taufatofua at the Rio Olympics.
For more information
Investigation after Greek passports seized in Tonga following complaint by Immigration NZ
