Tevita Poasi Tupou

Tevita Poasi Tupou
Lord Tupou at the State Opening of Parliament in May 2015
Deputy Prime Minister of Tonga
In office 2000–2001
Preceded by	Langi Kavaliku
Succeeded by	Clive Edwards (acting)
Personal details
Nationality	Tongan

Tevita Poasi Tupou (born 27 July 1941),[1] styled Lord Tupou of Kolofo’ou, is a Tongan judge and former politician.

During his political career, he served as Attorney General, Minister of Justice and Deputy Prime Minister. He also worked as a lawyer. In 2008, King George Tupou V elevated him to the title of Life Peer and appointed him Law Lord (judge) in the newly formed Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.[2]

On 3 December 2010 the King appointed Tupou as interim Speaker.[3]

In October 2014, Tupou was appointed as Judge in the Appeal Court of Tonga, making him the first Tongan in the panel.[4]

In June 2015 he was inducted into the Tonga National Sports Hall of Fame for his services on the Tonga Sports Association and National Olympic Committee.[1]

Honours

National honours

• Order of Queen Sālote Tupou III, Grand Cross (31 July 2008).[5]

References

1. "Lord Tupou inducted". Nukualofa Times. 5 June 2015. p. 10. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
2. Guy Powles (2012). POLITICAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM OPENS THE DOOR: THE KINGDOM OF TONGA'S PATH TO DEMOCRACY (PDF). Comparative Law Journal of the Pacific. p. 40. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
3. "Tonga king appoints interim speaker". RNZ. 3 December 2010. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
4. "First Tongan to be appointed to the court of appeal". New Zealand Kaniva Pacific. 22 October 2014. Archived from the original on 3 November 2014.
5. "Royal orders presented at Palace". Matangi Tonga. 1 August 2008. Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2022.