Former league international Tangiia Tongia sentenced for violent rape in Christchurch
Former rugby league player Tangiia Tongia has been sentenced to over eight years in prison for the violent rape of a woman in Christchurch. Despite his admission to police, Tongia maintained his innocence throughout the trial, which the judge described as a 'pig-headed denial'.
Why it matters
The case underscores the judicial system's response to severe sexual violence and the lasting impact on victims, even when perpetrators attempt to deny their actions.
Tangiia Tongia has been sent to prison for rape. Photo / NZME
WARNING: This story details rape and may be distressing for some readers.
A former international and top-level domestic rugby league player has been sent to prison for violently raping a woman in her home.
While Tangiia Tongia maintains he is innocent, a judge has described it as a “pig-headed denial”.
This week, Tongia was sentenced in the Christchurch District Court to eight years and three months in prison, after a jury found him guilty of rape and sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection in June.
Tongia represented the Cook Islands national team and played for the Papanui Tigers and the Canterbury Bulls during the late 1990s and early 2000s.
The court heard that Tongia, 51, visited the victim, who was known to him, at her Christchurch house on July 1, 2023.
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