Vanuatu judge storms out after chief reappears in traditional garb Featured
Men from Pentecost taken to jail for contempt of court after wearing traditional attire in the Supreme Court. Photo: Dan McGarry / Vanuatu Daily Post
26 October, 2016. In Vanuatu a Supreme Court Judge has stormed out of his court in Port Vila after a chief and some of his men again turned up in traditional dress, defying a court order.
Chief Viraleo Boborenvanua and eight men from East Pentecost who are facing numerous criminal charges were charged with contempt of court last week for wearing their local garb.
Judge David Chetwynd did not approve and said they showed no respect for his court.
He jailed them for 72 hours then released them on bail to seek legal representation and to reappear in normal clothes.
The Daily Post Newspaper reports the men reappeared in custom dress on Tuesday which infuriated the judge.
He noted their not guilty plea, then remanded them until next year, slammed the door shut and left the men in the courtroom.
The case has piqued much interest in Vanuatu as it is the first time a chief has defied a court order, saying his rights had been infringed by the order to wear normal clothes.
Judge Chetwynd said the issue is a serious criminal case and not a custom case, and the chief and his men have shown disrespect for his court by wearing their custom dress.
The men were first remanded at the end of last year on criminal charges of arson, riot, threat to kill, intentional assault and malicious damage to property.
-RNZI
6 comments
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'Oku sai e tukufakaholo ia kae tauhi pe moe lao pea toe fakasivilaise moe teunga. Koe hu lou'akau he Fakamaau'anga 'i Tonga koe lii ia ki tu'a.
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Toe ki'i tanaki atu pe. 'I he uepisaiti 'ae http://tau.olunga.to/ 'oku haa ai e fakamatala 'i lalo ki he vala fakafonua 'oe fefine Tonga. Toki vakai atu pe ki he taa ka 'e ma'u pe ho'o fakafuofua ki he fakamatala 'i lalo.
Imagine a Tongan girl entering the court with this traditional Tongan attire!!!
Here is the excerpt:
In traditional Tonga girls could go naked from waist up, as long they wore a decent skirt covering their thighs. The photographer must have used some persuasion that this girl wanted to stand in this dress on the roots of a long died and decayed coconut tree. -
ofakimuli: Please clarify what you mean "if I get told that my Tongan attire is less appropriate"?
What do you mean by your Tongan attire? Tupenu, sote and ta'ovala?
How about the Tongan traditional attire that Pita Taufatofua showed off to the world in the Olympic? If Pita wore that attire to a Tongan court and the judge told Pita not to come in because it is inappropriate, would you agree with the Judge? -
Kii sivilaise e vala koena ne tui e he Chief nae tonu kene tui e vala mei he kamata'anga pea toho atu mo ha tao 'o hapo 'aki e Fakamaau mo e launoa
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I applaud Chief Viraleo Boborenvanua of Vanuatu for his determination to hold his right to wear his traditional attire, event in Court. Stuff the Judge, how dire he demean the cultural attire of these people and think that wearing a "western clothes" is more appropriate, such a Colonial mindset that should be buried in the last century. I would be furious too if I get told that my Tongan attire is less appropriate to wear in Court. Chief Viraleo Boborenvanua keep wearing your heritage with bride, Good on yah!
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Ko e ongongata'a 'oku matolu atu... malie tama eee...