23 Jul 2015

Tonga pastors get counselling but no ministries

9:32 am on 23 July 2015
Tongan Wesleyan Church in Sydney.

Tongan Wesleyan Church in Sydney. Photo: Masaaki Ikeda Architecture

Three pastors of the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga held responsible for the loss of millions of dollars of church property in Sydney have been refused new ministries.

The Church's general secretary, the reverend Tevita Havea, says it is bringing Sione Pinomi, Viliami Tu'akoi and Matafonua Fotofili to Tonga for counselling.

The Sydney property losses included the Pulela'a church, which was put into liquidation three years ago.

The Supreme Court in Sydney then ordered Tonga's Free Wesleyan Church to sell off five properties in Australia to pay a debt that amounted to about ten million US dollars.

Those properties included churches in Melbourne and Brisbane, and homes used by the pastors in Sydney.