NUKU’ALOFA: A Security Guard Company has taken Tonga Development Bank (TDB) to court for more then $600 Thousand worth of unpaid security work that they have done for TDB.
TDB and this Security Guard Company entered into an agreement for security works for the Bank and also guarding of a Lawyer that was hired by TDB to carry out legal works for them.
TDB has paid over $800 Thousand already to the Security Guard Company and the Security Guard Company is now asking for $600 Thousand more for their guarding of the Lawyer 24 hours on some day, including guarding the Lawyer’s room at Tano’a Hotel while the Lawyer is sleeping at night.
Including in this $600 Thousand is a rental vehicle, which was rented for $500 per day. It was later found that the rental vehicle was for the use of the Lawyer. The normal pricing of rental vehicles here in Tonga starts at $50 per day to $250 per day at the highest. The $250 per day vehicle is usually a bigger vehicle compared to $50 per day, and is also near new. This $500 per day rented vehicle has got to be the most expensive in the history of all rented vehicles in the Kingdom. Additionally, this vehicle was not rented from any rental company but was hired by the Lawyer from a vehicle very close relative of the Lawyer. The owner of the rented vehicle is the owner of the same Security Guard Company that was used by TDB to guard the Lawyer.
It also came to light that it is this Lawyer that drafted working agreements of the Security Guard Company and TDB in the past.
It is said that the Chief Justice has already ruled for TDB to pay out $300 Thousand to the Security Guard Company but the Lawyer submitted to TDB to ‘set aside’ this rulling and gave legal reasons for this decision.
The Supreme Court has several called this case to convene, however, the Plaintiff or the owner of the Security Guard Company is unable to travel from New Zealand to attend the court case. The plaintiff has submitted a letter from the doctor stating that the plaintiff is very ill and is sickly. It appears that the plaintiff wishes not to attend court and pursue their lawsuit against TDB.
TDB, however has terminated this Lawyer and the Lawyer has also filed a lawsuit against TDB and has withheld all files and records of all cases that the Lawyer handled. This lawsuit is regarding unpaid invoices, amounting to millions, which the Lawyer has submitted to TDB. TDB had initially paid the Lawyer a hefty amount previously, under the Lawyer’s name. However, these unpaid invoices uses the Lawyer’s Law Firm name with an overseas address. This address was looked into and it was found that there is no such address, nor any law firm situated at such address.
88.1FM The People’s Radio and Tonga Chronicle is following this case and will update further developments when available.
