The Chair of Tonga Advisory Council in Auckland Melino Maka has been mocked after New Zealand police announced his complaint has been closed without anybody being charged.
Maka has been also accused of attempting to make malicious allegations against the democrat supporters (PTOA) after he linked them to the online threats against Prime Minister Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa.
The PTOA supporters have denied any involvement.
Maka laid the complaint last week saying the threats had upset many members of Tonga’s community in New Zealand.
As we reported last week, the complaint was made after what appeared to have been part of a post on Facebook alleging there was a threat to also kill Hon Tu’i’onetoa’s political colleague ‘Etuate Lavulavu.
In a statement on Wednesday, police said they spoke to the person involved and found they were “remorseful and meant no harm”.
A police spokesperson said threatening a person was a serious crime that could result in prosecution.
“This is true regardless of who is making the threat or what medium they use. Making these threats can cause serious harm to the victims, whether it is acted upon or not.”
Maka took to Facebook last week and posted a comment which was accompanied by a screenshot of what appeared to be the original post on which he based his complaint to Police.
In that screenshot the threat was made by a person who goes by the name of Moana Fameitau.
Maka told his followers he had been busy that “morning with calls from our community here in NZ about this threat to kill Hon Tu’ionetoa (PM Kingdom of Tonga) and Lavulavu.”
When Tonga Broadcasting Commission asked how many callers he received Maka said there were four of them.
He also accused the PTOA advocates of making the threat.
“To the NZ PTOA committee, like it or not you have to understand and respect democracy. So you have now deal with the police,” Maka wrote.
But a PTOA spokesperson in Auckland denied any involvement and said the poster was not a member of their group.
The PTOA advocates have applauded the closure with many saying the complaint was made in jest and it should have not been addressed by Police.
In the PTOA chatroom on Facebook, of which has been viewed by Kaniva news, the supporters welcomed the New Zealand police’s announcement that the case had been closed.
“It should have been thrown to the rubbish bin in the first place,” a messenger wrote.
“Shame on you Melino,” another wrote.
“Police should then investigate Maka,” a commenter wrote.
