Ruthless predatory robber gets 12-years jail [1]
Monday, May 15, 2017 - 22:53
Tevita Vaka (28) is serving an accumulative sentence of 12-years imprisonment for a series of violent robberies in 2015-16 in Nuku'alofa.
A Supreme Court judge who viewed "the callous, ruthless nature of the offending" said this was a deterrent sentence to protect people from being the victims of predatory criminal acts in their homes.
Vaka was first sentenced to six-years imprisonment for robbery, causing bodily harm and other counts in January this year, when he assaulted a husband and wife at their home in February, last year.
On May 4, Vaka was convicted and again sentenced on another six-years and nine-months imprisonment for two separate robberies that he committed in November, 2015.
Both sentences were ordered by the court to be served accumulatively, making it 12-years in total.
Offences
On January 27 this year, Vaka was sentenced to six-years imprisonment for robbery and other charges in relation to the offence on the evening of February 4, 2016, when he and another co-accused had assaulted the couple outside their home.
When the couple who owned a restaurant in Nuku'alofa arrived home, Vaka punched the woman on the head and stole her bag. The other accused hit the husband on the head with a rock, when he got out of the car, before fleeing.
He was sentenced to six-years imprisonment sentence on this by Hon Mr Justice Cato.
Home invasion
On 4 May, the same judge again sentenced the accused and another Rodney Toki on the two other incidents that included charges of robbery, serious housebreaking and causing serious damage to things committed in 2015, but their trial only concluded with their convictions.
He said on this present offending with Vaka, it took place on the late evening of November 28, 2015, when they assaulted an elderly couple Mr and Mrs Swift after invading their home at night, as well as well as two other people in their motor vehicle.
Vaka and others were drinking before heading towards Popua where the residence was located near the New Zealand High Commission residence.
Vaka and Toki were seen leaving the group and Toki was seen to have carried a crowbar.
They broke into the home, and the woman who encountered the first intruder was knocked unconscious. Evidence showed that Toki had admitted to one of the youths that he assaulted her. The man then woke up and encountered Vaka, who hit him on the head with a laptop leaving him also unconscious.
Money, passports and items of jewelry worth about $5,000 were stolen.
The judge said the two were still not content with this robbery, then went off and joined others at a beach in Popua.
"I find on this evidence that Vaka was the ringleader and was in a very angry mood, then confronted two people in motor vehicle parked in the beach area.
"Vaka approached one of the people in the car for a cigarette, neither smoked. He then broke the car window, either with a crow bar or a machete, while Toki and another third party who was given an indemnity, also broke the windows. Evidence suggested $1,000 went missing.
"The occupants left the vehicle unharmed but the rental car was damaged. The accused were later located and arrested by Tonga Police."
Vaka on this case was sentenced to six-years and nine-months imprisonment.
Ruthless
The judge said for the robbery of the elderly couple at the residence was premeditated home invasion in which both victims were assaulted.
The courts have an obligation to protect persons from being the victims of criminal acts in their homes.
"People are entitled to expect that they will be safe from predatory conduct at their own home."
"I view the callous, ruthless nature of the offending and the fact that this was premeditated home invasion where the purpose was the robbery to merit a standing point of seven and a half years."
US education
Vaka is said to have been taken to the United States by his natural mother where he studied there until high school level. He spoke of getting into bad company there and when he returned to Tonga, which he said voluntarily, fell also into bad company.
Vaka's sentence was backdated to when he was in custody.
Toki (18) on the hand, who had convictions only for theft in 2015, was sentenced to six-years imprisonment on this robbery, backdated also.
Other charges imposed on serious housebreaking robbery of occupants of the vehicle, damage and assault are also served concurrently with the robbery count.
The final 18-months was suspended upon strict conditions.