Man gets suspended sentence for firing gun [1]
Tuesday, May 21, 2019 - 18:29. Updated on Wednesday, May 22, 2019 - 09:24.
A 54-year-old man who is the head of community policing at Popua received a suspended sentence at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court on May 17, after pleading guilty to three charges, including firing a .22 rifle to intimidate.
Sitiveni Loupua Mahe pleaded guilty to three counts of carrying arms in a public place, discharging a firearm with intent to intimidate and possession of a firearm without a license.
Hon. Mr Justice Niu sentenced the accused to one-year imprisonment on each of the three counts, which are to be served concurrently. He then fully suspended the sentence for two-years.
The Court heard that Mahe committed these offences on or beside the road at Popua where he lived and outside a church hall where a dance practice was being held on this day.
"You did have a license to possess and use a .22 rifle but not to fire it to intimidate anyone. Yet that was what you did. You took out your rifle from your vehicle and pointed and fired it on the road just behind or beside Litili Televave's feet twice."
Mahe then got into his vehicle and drove to home. In the vehicle there was an air rifle, which he had no license to hold.
The Police went to his home and found the air gun in his vehicle, together with the .22 rifle and its magazine. When police questioned him, he said that he was drunk and felt happy and he just went outside and fired the shots.
The judge said that Mahe was the head or chairman of community police at Popua, leading the work of patrolling during the night to ensure no offences are committed or that no young children venture out at night without a guardian in the village, said the judge.
"You are highly respected in your village and the people look to you for guidance and assistance."
The Court was told, he had no previous conviction and had even asked to resign from his position as chairman because of what he did, but the community still wanted him.
Mahe has apologized to the complainant who had forgiven him.
The judge, after agreeing with counsel, fully suspended his sentence.
“This is because he had demonstrated that he would truly resume his law-abiding character and model citizenship for the community. This is, to already carrying out unpaid community service to his community by being one of its village police, let alone chairman thereof,” he said.