The Supreme Court has convicted a police woman of six counts of fraud.
The court was told that Malia Kolokiloloma Fanua falsified the results of her studies at the University of the South Pacific in order to receive funding from the Tongan police.
Australia and New Zealand gave aid to Tonga Police for members of the Tonga Police to study at the University of the South Pacific campus at ‘Atele in Tongatapu.
To obtain funds to pay for the study, police had to sign a promissory note to repay the fund to Tonga Police if they failed to pass or complete the subjects.
The accused has been taking a Bachelor of Art, majoring in Pacific Policies since 2005.
She was charged on the following counts:
That on January 26, 2017 she made a false document by altering her exam results of her subject, Legislation (no. LW112 at the University of the South Pacific) from “C” to “B+” on her Notification of Exam Results for Semester II in 2016 with the intention that Tonga Police would act on it as if it was a genuine document.
That on January 26, 2017 she made a false document by altering her exam results for her subject, Courts & Dispute Resolution (no. LW113 at the University of the South Pacific) from “C” to “A” on her Notification of Exam Results for Semester II in 2016 with the intention that Tonga Police would act on it as if it was a genuine document.
That on January 26, 2017, she used the forged Notification of Exams for Semester 2 of 2016 as if it was genuine by submitting it to support her Promissory Note application for further funding from Tonga Police, knowing that that exam result was a forgery.
That on July 11, 2017, she made a false document by altering her exam results for her subject, Legal Ethics (LW306 at the University of the South Pacific) from “C” to “B+” in her Notification of Exam Results for Semester 1 in 2017 with the intention that the Tonga Police would act on it as if it was a genuine document.
That on July 11, 2017, she made a false document by altering her exam results for her subject, Tourism in Less Developed Countries, (TS310 at the University of the South Pacific) from “C” to “B” in her Notification of Exam Results for Semester 1 in 2017 with the intention that the Tonga Police would act on it as if it was a genuine document.
That on July 11, 2017, she used the forged Notification of Exam Results for Semester 1 of 2017 as if it was genuine by submitting it to support her Promissory Note application for further funding from Tonga Police, knowing that that exam result was a forgery.
Fanua pleaded not guilty to all six counts and elected trial by Judge alone.
The court was told the accused printed out statement from USP and falsified her results.
After hearing extensive evidence from police and USP witnesses Judge L.M.Niu said the only person able to make the change to the document was the accused and that he had done so in order to obtain a financial benefit from the police. She had been praised by the Commissioner of Police because of her falsified records.
“I am therefore satisfied, on the evidence, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the accused, with the intent to deceive the Tonga Police, made a false document by making a material alteration by altering the result C to the result B+ in respect the subject Legislation and by altering the result C to the result A in respect of the subject Courts & Dispute Resolution in the genuine USP Notification of Exam Results printout which has been produced as Exhibit C,” Judge Niu said.
“I therefore find the accused guilty of the charges in counts 1 and 2.
“I am also satisfied, on the evidence, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the accused, with the intent to deceive the Tonga Police, made a false docwnent by making a material alteration by altering the result C to the result B+ in respect of the subject Legal Ethics and by altering the result C to the result B in respect of the subject Tourism in Less Dev. Countries in the genuine USP Notification of Exam Results printout which has been produced as Exhibit A3.
“I therefore find the accused guilty of the charges in counts 3 and 4.
“I am also satisfied on the evidence, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the accused knowing that the two said genuine printouts have been forged by the said alterations which she had made to them, used them by submitting them to support her promissory note application for further funding from Tonga Police knowing that those exam results were forgeries.
“I therefore find the accused guilty of the charges in counts 5 and 6.”
The main points
- The Supreme Court has convicted a police woman of six counts of fraud.
- The court was told that Malia Kolokiloloma Fanua falsified the results of her studies at the University of the South Pacific in order to receive funding from the Tongan police.
