Master Tome Suasau [39] was sentenced to eight-months imprisonment, which was fully suspended for possession of .48 grams of methamphetamine, at 'Umusi.

Justice Langi sentenced him on November 6, after pleading guilty to the offence, at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court.

The Court heard on January 25 this year, Police executed a search warrant at a workplace of one, Kuliti Tongamoa at 'Umusi.

The door to the workplace was opened by the accused and police restrained him and started the search. Also inside were accused persons, Kuliti Tongamoa and 'Epeli Taione.

Police found a plastic dealer bag containing white powder on top of a small work table next to Kuliti. Police arrested the accused together with the other two and later interviewed him. 

The accused cooperated with police and confessed to being in possession of the Class A drug, which weighed a total of .48 grams.

Class A drug 

“The Crown submitted the only aggravating factor in this case was the possession of the Class A drug, which is a scourge to our society and the Courts should impose sentences, which deter and denunciate its use.”

Mitigating factors in support of a reduction of sentence were that the accused pleaded guilty at the first available opportunity, he was a first time offender and had cooperated with police.

Å pre-sentence report said he had taken over managing an auto shop. 

In addition, the accused told the probation officer on the day of the offending, he was having a few beers with his friends at Kuliti's residence before the police executed the search. 

He admitted to taking drugs for his own personal use. However, he told the probation officer that he did not know of the illicit drugs inside the bag but that he had pleaded guilty because all three of them were inside the house. 

The judge said, in light of his early guilty plea and cooperation with the police together with having no previous convictions, she sentenced him to eight-months imprisonment.

'The unequivocal message that must be sent out to the youths and the people of this community is that if you involve yourself in drug offending you will receive an imprisonment term as a general rule and the only question for the judge is how long is appropriate.'