19 Jan 2012

Tonga speaker arrested for breaching bail terms twice

4:29 pm on 19 January 2012

The Speaker of Tonga's Legislative Assembly, Lord Lasike, has been arrested at Fua'amotu Airport for breaking bail conditions twice.

He had been accused of illegally possessing ammunition but left Tonga two months ago.

Radio Tonga says Lord Lasike was arrested after unexpectedly flying in from the United States

Police didn't handcuff him, but allowed him and his wife to be driven in their own car, by their own chauffeur, from the airport to the Supreme Court in Nuku'alofa.

He was escorted by two police cars.

In court he admitted breaching his bail conditions, and the Judge, Robert Schuster, took his passport away.

Lord Lasike has been ordered to return to court tomorrow.

In November, he was given special permission to lead a parliamentary delegation to Israel, flying via Los Angeles.

However, he stayed in the US and got married in Las Vegas two days later.