Prisoner gets more time for drug offences [1]
Thursday, February 4, 2021 - 19:28
Tevita Talia’uli Fatongiatau (34), who is currently serving time in prison, was sentenced to another one-year nine-months imprisonment sentence for possession of methamphetamine, by the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court.
The Court heard that the Police Drugs Enforcement Taskforce received reliable information that the accused was selling illicit drugs from his vehicle at the bus station in town last year. A search team was formed and the Police went to the bus station and found the accused inside his car and the illicit drug.
The judge ordered that this sentence be served consecutively to his current sentence.
The prisoner is currently serving two-years six-months imprisonment for possessing 159.13 grams of cannabis and methamphetamine of 0.34 grams, seized in 2018 at a guest house in Nuku'alofa.
“I am mindful for offences which he has been convicted and sentenced, but his previous convictions for possession of illicit drugs do indicate a predilection to commit the particular type of drug-related offences far outweigh the punishment, said the judge.
“The court has a duty to protect the community from repeat offenders like the offender here who think they will just do their time and come out and do the same thing again.”