The Tongan government appears to be in disarray and under mounting pressure after three of its cabinet members were found guilty of electoral bribery.

The cases of misconduct relates to the 2025 general election which formed a coalition government from 17 elected independent representatives who joined nine appointed nobles in the Fale Alea Legislative Assembly.

The Supreme Court of Tonga found on Monday the Minister for Lands, Dr Taniela Fusimalohi, was the latest cabinet member who was caught in an act of bribery after donating a Starlink terminal wi-fi router to his constituency to provide high-speed broadband.

While key details of case proceedings are yet to be publicly released, the conviction appears to signal the Tongan judiciary's firm stance on upholding electoral integrity.

Under its electoral act, a conviction for an electoral offence may result in penalties including a fine, removal from office, or disqualification from holding public office, depending on the court's final orders.

The court, however, acquitted deputy Prime Minister, Dr Viliami Latu, just days after he was charged with distributing an election petition due to a lack of evidence.

There were 14 allegations initially filed against Dr Latu, however the court accepted just six for consideration, all of which he was cleared of.

Minister for Tourism, Semisi Sika, was found guilty after failing to declare a $10,000 payment to a dance academy which prosecutors successfully argued was an attempt to influence voters.

Minister for Finance, Lata'ifaingata'a Tangimana, was the first minister of the government to be convicted.

He resigned his portfolio in April after first being found guilty on two counts of indirectly bribing his constituents in the act of providing them fish. He remains a member of the parliament while still appealing the ruling.

Mr Tangimana's case was initially brought by a rival candidate, who challenged the legitimacy of the result and triggered the other cases.

Three charges were initially filed, however one could not proceed due to the "unavailability" of a key witness to attend the hearings.

All of the convictions threaten to destabilise the government of Prime Minister Lord Fatafehi Fakafanua.

It comes after Tonga's controlling royal family consolidated its power with the election of Lord Fakafanua as the head of the country. The move alarmed democracy advocates over the control heredity nobles hold in government, as they are largely appointed by the state's king.

Lord Fakafanua is a member of the Tongan royal family through both his father and mother's side of the family.

The 40-year-old is only the second noble to become Prime Minister since the most recent constitutional reforms.

Bribery findings of his ministers typically require MPs to be "unseated" under Tongan law, potentially triggering by-elections and a major cabinet reshuffle.

The court has strictly enforced rules against any form of donation made within three months of an election being called, even should those donations be seen for a charitable cause.

The rulings are formally conveyed to the speaker of the parliament.

The government has yet to issue a formal response to the growing list of judicial rulings against its ministers.

Two other Tongan cabinet ministers were also found to have committed bribery in the lead up to the last general election in 2021.

Similar rulings in past election cycles have led to both MPs and ministers being unseated.