Taniela Moimoi (34) was found guilty at the Supreme Court for illicit drugs and ammunition offences.

Hon. Mr Justice Niu in a ruling on September 30 found him guilty on three counts of possessing 225.69 grams of cannabis, cultivation of four cannabis plants and possession of 500x .22 bullets and 52x .45 bullets without a licence, at Tofoa.

The Court heard on April 29, 2019 a team from the Drugs Enforcement Taskforce and Tactical Response Group conducted a search without warrant at the accused's residence at Tofoa.

The search was conducted based on credible information Police received that there was unlicensed arms and ammunition at the accused's residence.

The Crown called nine witnesses to give evidence. The accused gave evidence himself and called no other witness.

In the present case, Police Officer Giovanni Finau was informed by an informer that there were drugs and weapons at this particular home at Tofoa.

The informer told him that there were sales of bullets, large bullets, at the home. The officer did not straight away believe him because this was the first time this informer had given him any information. He instead told him to meet him so that he could go and look at the place. He told Officer Vi not to let the other officers leave until he had gone and checked out the informer's story.

“Having heard that evidence of Giovanni Finau, I am quite satisfied that he had reasonable grounds to be satisfied that a serious offence had been committed and that immediate action be taken right away.

“He properly explained that it was not reasonable to wait until the next day or to have any surveillance carried out overnight, because of the danger of the surveillance officer or officers being shot and of the bullets disappearing overnight,” said the judge.

"I just do not believe the accused's story at all."

He said from the evidence, he was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the accused was guilty of the three offences and convicted him.