Sione Vuna Faʻotusia

The Honourable Sione Vuna Faʻotusia
Faʻotusia in 2020
Deputy Prime Minister of Tonga
In office 10 October 2019 – 14 December 2020
Prime Minister	Pōhiva Tuʻiʻonetoa
Preceded by	Semisi Sika
Succeeded by	Lord Maʻafu
Minister for Justice and Prisons
In office 30 December 2014 – 14 December 2020
Prime Minister	ʻAkilisi Pōhiva Semisi Sika (Acting) Pōhiva Tuʻiʻonetoa
Preceded by	Clive Edwards (Justice) Pōhiva Tuʻiʻonetoa (Prisons)
Succeeded by	Samiu Vaipulu
Member of the Tongan Parliament for Tongatapu 7
In office 27 November 2014 – 29 August 2021
Preceded by	Sione Sangster Saulala
Succeeded by	Sione Sangster Saulala
Personal details
Born	(1953-02-24)24 February 1953
Died	29 August 2021(2021-08-29) (aged 68) Auckland, New Zealand
Political party	Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands People's Party

Sione Vuna Faʻotusia (24 February 1953 – 29 August 2021)^[1] was a Tongan politician, Cabinet Minister, and Member of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga who served as the deputy prime minister of Tonga from 2019 to 2020.

Personal life

Faʻotusia received a Bachelor of Laws from the University of New South Wales Faculty of Law, a Master's degree from the London School of Economics, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice.^[2]

Prior to entering politics Faʻotusia was a member of the Tongan Public Servants Association^[3] and chair of its strike committee during the 2005 Tongan public service strike.^[4] From 2006 to 2008, he was Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Justice. He later moved to private practice.^[2] He was counsel to the Shipping Corporation of Polynesia Ltd, owners of the MV Princess Ashika.^[5]

In January 2019 Faʻotusia was charged with wrongful interference with the course of justice and using threatening language in a dispute over a stolen cow.^[6] In December 2019 he was acquitted after a judge found there was insufficient evidence.^[7] An appeal by the crown saw the case return to the Supreme Court in December 2020.^[8]

Faʻotusia married for the first time after his 67th birthday. He died on 29 August 2021, in Auckland, New Zealand.^[9][10][11]

Political career

Faʻotusia was elected as a Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands (DPFI) candidate at the 2014 Tongan general election and appointed as Minister of Justice in the cabinet of ʻAkilisi Pōhiva. He was re-elected in the 2017 Tongan general election and reappointed to Cabinet.^[12] As Justice Minister Fa'otusia appointed the first Tongan judge to the Supreme Court of Tonga in over a hundred years, and aims to have an all-Tongan Court by 2020.^[13] He has also publicly supported capital punishment.^[14]

Following the death of ʻAkilisi Pōhiva, Faʻotusia supported Pōhiva Tuʻiʻonetoa for Prime Minister, leaving the DPFI to join Tuʻiʻonetoa's new People's Party.^[15] He was appointed to Tuʻiʻonetoa's Cabinet as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Justice and Prisons.^[16]

In December 2020 he joined other PTOA members in signing a motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Tuʻiʻonetoa.^[17] He subsequently resigned as a Minister.^[18][19]

References

1. "Sione Vuna Fa'otusia". Parliament of Tonga. Archived from the original on 12 October 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
2. "Our Staff". Ministry of Justice, Tonga. Archived from the original on 13 August 2020.
3. "Strike in Tonga shuts down country, challenges monarchy". The Militant. 5 September 2005. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
4. "Tonga - At the Tipping Point". SBS. 23 August 2013. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
5. "Tonga: Ashika verdict – all guilty, behind bars awaiting sentence". Pacific Scoop. 2 April 2011. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
6. "Appeal made to put Tongan minister on no-fly list". RNZ. 16 July 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
7. "Vuna Fa'otusia acquitted of charges due to insufficient evidence". Tonga Broadcasting Corporation. 3 December 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
8. "Deputy PM returns to Tonga, pleads not guilty on charges in Supreme Court". Matangi Tonga. 12 December 2020. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
9. "FAMILY NOTICES - Deaths, Funerals, Probate/Administration". Matangi Tonga Online. 16 September 2021. Archived from the original on 4 October 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
10. "Early democracy crusader who led PSA strike and tried to topple Tu'i'onetoa dies". Kaniva Tonga. 31 August 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
11. "Deceased Tonga leader tried to make a difference". RNZ. 22 September 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
12. "Prime Minister Pōhiva submits his cabinet lineup to the Tongan king". Asia-Pacific Report. 4 January 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
13. "Tonga's Justice Minister welcomes historic court appointment". RNZ. 28 June 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
14. "Pressure builds for PNG and Tonga to abolish the death penalty". RNZ. 7 June 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
15. "Parliament elects Dr Pōhiva Tu'i'onetoa as new PM". The World News. 27 September 2019. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
16. ""Prime Minister Announces New Cabinet Ministers"". Government of Tonga. 10 October 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
17. "PM Pōhiva Tu'i'onetoa "has to go" says Deputy PM Vuna Fa'otusia as he and others submit vote of no confidence motion against PM". Kaniva Tonga. 10 December 2020. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
18. "Tonga Deputy PM resigns amidst no confidence motion". RNZ. 14 December 2020. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
19. Pesi Fonua (14 December 2020). "Deputy PM Fa'otusia resigns from Cabinet". Matangi Tonga. Archived from the original on 14 December 2020. Retrieved 14 December 2020.