Piliote Uasike (23) was sentenced to two-years nine-months imprisonment for possession of illicit drugs and bribery of a police officer, by a Supreme Court judge who warned drug dealers to expect punishment.

The prisoner pleaded guilty to the two counts relating to an incident that occurred in December last year.

Hon Mr Justice Cato during sentencing on October 18, said the Court would do its utmost best to prevent illicit drugs from getting a strong foothold in Tonga, as had happened in other countries.

During sentencing, he warned drug dealers or anyone associated with the distribution of illicit drugs to expect punishment when they appeared in Court.

Hofoa

On December 11, during a police patrol at an area in Hofoa, police officers noticed a black car. As police approached this car, the prisoner who was inside fled, resulting in a chase and his arrest.

Police officers then searched the car and found 10 packs of methamphatamine, (weighing 3.48 grams) and small amount of cannabis.

The prisoner admitted the illicit drugs were his and said he was doing this (dealing) to provide for his family.

He then apologised to the police officer and asked if he wanted anything, he would give it so he would not report him. The police officer refused and reported the offence.

The judge said, this was a significant amount of methamphatamine and if it was sold to customers would have had the capacity to do societal damage.

"This is a very serious offence and people engaged in illicit drugs in Tonga can expect punishment."

After considering some mitigating factors, such as his guilty plea and an apology made in Court, the judge suspended the final year of the sentence on strict conditions.

This means the prisoner will serve one-year and nine-months imprisonment backdated to when he was first remanded in police custody.