Timote ‘Asa was sentenced to six-years imprisonment for numerous charges, including rape and abduction of a young woman in Tongatapu. 

At the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court on on September 18, Lord Chief Justice Whitten imposed the sentence on five counts of three rapes and one each for serious indecent assault and abduction. The sentence is being served concurrently.

The Crown submitted that the paramount sentencing considerations here are the protection of the vulnerable, deterrence, denunciation or condemnation of such behaviour and punishment for those who commit crimes of serious sexual abuse such as rape. 

“The court is to protect women and those who are vulnerable from predatory sexual activities."

In addition, the Crown accepted that the sentence should be discounted for the accused relatively early guilty plea thereby saving the victim from having to relive the incidents at trial and for his lack of previous convictions. 

It also submitted that the sentences to be imposed for the abduction and serious indecent assault be served concurrently with the head sentence. 

The Chief Justice in sentencing the defendant to the lengthy prison term, suspended the final 12-months for two-years.

This is on conditions that he does not commit any offences punishable by imprisonment; placed on probation to 
live where directed and complete a course on sexual abuse, at the direction of his probation officer. 

The defendant was warned that failure to perform any of these conditions may result in his return to prison to complete the suspended part of his imprisonment sentence.

The Chief Justice also directed that the identity of the complainant and her evidence taken in the proceedings shall not be published in Tonga.

Meanwhile, the sentence was backdated to when he was remanded in police custody.