Tonga's Acting Prime Minister says the Prime Minister, Dr Feleti Sevele, wrote a letter under duress on November 16th, the day of the Nuku'alofa riots.
Matangi Tonga online reports that Acting Prime Minister, Tu'a Taumoepeau Tupou, was called as a witness in the third day of the inquiry hearing into sedition charges against five People's Representatives.
Mr Tupou told the court that two People's Representatives, 'Akilisi Pohiva and 'Uliti Uata, proposed that the Prime Minister, Dr Feleti Sevele, write a 'Letter of Understanding' that stated members of the Tongan parliament were to be elected by the people, while the nobles were to elect nine representatives.
He says the Prime Minister told the two that if he were to write such a letter, it would be on the condition that the people rallying at Pangai Si'i dispersed peacefully.
Mr Tupou says the Minister of Police had emphasised that the letter was being written under duress.
He says the meeting ended at about 4 pm by which time the Molisi Tonga Supermarket was already burning.
