Tonga defers impeachment

Press, 5 October 1985, Page 12

Tonga defers impeachment

From

MARY FONUA

in Nuku’alofa Tonga’s Legislative Assembly has decided to defer impeachment proceedings against the head of its Judiciary and seek a private settlement. The people’s representative for Vava’u, Mr Masao Paasi, and the puisne judge, Mr Justice Harwood, are now being asked to try for reconciliation by Monday before any decision to proceed with an, impeachment in the legislature is made. The issue caused heated debate and split the vote, 88, on. whether to accept the sub-committee’s recommendation for reconciliation but its recommendation was carried by the vote of the

Acting Speaker. His Honour is due to return to Britain on October . 11 when his two-year term of office in Tonga ends. Mr Paasi claims Mr Justice Harwood infringed a section of the Constitution which concerns the immunity of members of Parliament from arrest and judgment while Parliament sits. Mr Paasi, a lawyer, has also lodged an appeal to the Privy Council against Mr Justice Harwood’s judgment of August 26 when Mr Paasi’s licence to practise law was suspended for two years after his Honour found in favour of Inspector Veikoso, of the police, who sued Mr Paasi for misconduct in court.