Maikolo ‘Ealelei (20) was sentenced to four years imprisonment for serious housebreaking when he stole around $34,000 pa’anga worth of items at a home in Tofoa last year. 

Lord Chief Justice O.G. Paulsen during sentencing on February 15 said the prisoner had pleaded guilty to housebreaking and theft.

He broke into the home and stole items consisting mainly of Tongan mats but also electrical equipment and personal items. The Tongan mats were sold or used as security for loans by him and another person and only items valued around $12,800 pa’anga were recovered.

The Court heard he had previous convictions for theft and housebreaking offences going back to 2014. 

In addition, he is currently serving a sentence of two-years and 11-months for theft and housebreaking imposed by the Magistrate's Court in 2018.

“It is a distressingly common offence committed in the main by young men. It is a very serious problem in Tonga to which there must be a strong response,” stated the Chief Justice.

“He is a repeated offender. It appears that he is a loner who steals as an occupation to support his own needs and feels little remorse for his criminality.

“In addition, these offences occurred at around the same time as the other offences for which he is serving a term of imprisonment. His offending is now habitual."

Youth

The Chief Justice said the prisoner had received suspended sentences on prior occasions and had continued to offend. 

“I am skeptical that he will change his ways but he tells me that he is not comfortable at Hu’atolitoli and he is making an effort to change himself and become a better person. He said he does not intend to reoffend upon release,” the Chief Justice said.

"Given his youth it is too early to give up on him completely and accordingly I have decided to suspend a portion of the sentence."

The last six-months of his sentence was then suspended on conditions. In addition, these sentences, which included two-years six-months for theft, are being served concurrently with the ones previously imposed by the Magistrate’s Court.

In Tonga, the maximum penalty for serious housebreaking is an imprisonment term not exceeding 10 years. While, the maximum penalty for theft of things exceeding $10,000 in value is a period not exceeding seven years.