Nuku'alofa, Tonga - Former Tonga prime minister Lord Tu'ivakano has been found guilty of perjury over a passports-for-sale scandal involving Chinese nationals in the Pacific island country.

A jury convicted Tu'ivakano on Monday after a four-week trial in Nuku'alofa's Supreme Court.

The 68-year-old -- who led the country from 2010 to 2014 -- was convicted of perjury, making a false statement for the purpose of obtaining a passport and firearms offenses.

Prosecutors alleged Tu'ivakano falsely claimed in 2015 that Chinese nationals Huo Guo and Xing Liu had been naturalized as Tongan citizens, making them eligible for passports.

Additional charges of bribery and money laundering were dropped during the trial.

The firearms charges related to ammunition and a .22 rifle found when police searched Tu'ivakano's home in 2018.

He was granted bail after being ordered to surrender his passport and is expected to be sentenced on April 24.

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© Agence France-Presse