22 Nov 2018

Former Tuvalu prime minister laid to rest

10:17 am on 22 November 2018

A former Tuvalu prime minister, Apisai Ielemia, was buried on his home island yesterday after dying at his Funafuti home on Monday.

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Photo: AFP

His body was transported to Vaitupu by Tuvalu's patrol boat, Te Mataili, on Tuesday night.

Mr Ielemia was prime minister from 2006 to 2010, but his political career ended in turmoil when he was convicted of corruption in 2016.

Those charges were later quashed and Mr Ielemia maintained he had therefore not forfeited his seat in parliament but the government went ahead and held a by-election in his Vaitupu seat.

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