Ue’ikaetau Tapa’atoutai was sentenced to six-months imprisonment for possession of 0.08 grams of methamphetamine and 0.43 grams of cannabis. This was fully suspended on conditions.

Hon Justice Langi sentenced the accused on February 1, after he pleaded guilty at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court.

The Court heard on February 3, 2020, officers of the Drug Enforcement Taskforce were returning from Tofoa after responding to a drug related matter.

On their way back to the Nuku'alofa Police station, they drove through a short cut into Tu'atakilangi to get to the Bypass Road. They saw the accused walking towards them and when they slowed down he turned and ran.

Suspecting that the accused had something unlawful on him, police chased after him.

The judge said, as the accused was running, he threw something into the bushes before he was caught and brought back to the vehicle.

Police searched the area and found one test tube containing one pack of cannabis and one pack of methamphetamine.

The accused told probation, he was truly remorseful for what he had done. 

The probation officer submitted that the court take into consideration that the accused was truly remorseful, had pleaded guilty and his four children (aged 9-19 years) had already lost their mother. He was carrying out both the roles of mother and father to their children.

He works as a builder and receives around $215 per week. This was his only source of income which paid for their needs at home. He sometimes received financial assistance from his brother who lives overseas.

The judge accepted that the accused was indeed remorseful and gave him an opportunity to rehabilitate with the assistance of drugs and alcohol rehabilitation courses at the Salvation Army.

The sentence was then fully suspended for 12-months on conditions, that included 40-hours of community service.

The illicit drugs were ordered to be destroyed.