A convicted Tongan cabinet minister says he will appeal against a Supreme Court ruling that found him guilty of bribery.
'Etuate Lavulavu was found guilty on three counts of conspiracy to commit bribery on three separate occasions in his 2014 election campaign on Vava'u.
In his judgement, Chief Justice Owen Paulsen said Lavulavu had given cash gifts to three different groups ahead of the election, in clear breach of electoral laws.
He also found that Lavulauvu had spent US$32,000 on his election campaign, when the legal spending limit is US$4,457.
Matangi Tonga reported that the conviction meant Lavulavu would be stripped of his parliamentary seat.
However, his lawyer, Siosifa Tu'utafaiva, said his client was already planning to appeal against the verdict.
An election petition filed against Tonga's Minister of Infrastructure, 'Etuate Lavulavu, for alleged illegal practices will be heard by a Supreme Court judge in July. Photo: Facebook