Salesi Fa’aoa (a.k.a. Mahelofa Tuputau) was sentenced to nine-months imprisonment for possession of 0.3 grams of methamphetamine and 22 rounds of .22 calibre ammunition, seized by Tonga Police after receiving information that he was selling illicit drugs from his car.

Lord Chief Justice Whitten QC sentenced the 31-year-old on April 30, at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court.

This was after, he changed his plea to guilty to the ammunition charge, but was found guilty on the methamphetamine charge, after a trial last month.

On 18 June 2020, the Drugs Enforcement Taskforce received information that he was selling drugs from his car in the Nuku'alofa area. Police located his car and stopped him.

The Chief Justice, said during searches of the vehicle, police found 26 rounds of .22 blank bullets inside the front compartment box, one silver weighing scale, empty dealer packs, a test tube and $153 in cash.

They also found within the cavity of the ceiling lining one pack containing two packs of what was later tested to be methamphetamine.

In relation to the ammunition, the defendant said that it was originally found in the car of a customer at his car wash business about three-months before the police search. The defendant never satisfactorily explained how or why the ammunition was at some point transferred to his vehicle, he said.

He also told the probation officer that he was introduced to drugs and alcohol at a very young age as his older cousins were members of street gangs, which led to his involvement in criminal activities.

He has a previous conviction for possession of 0.20 grams of methamphetamine, resulting in a sentence of nine months' probation.

Apparently, he did not complete his rehabilitation course, as a result of the Covid-19 restrictions at the time on his enrolment in January 2020. 

"I find that difficult to understand or accept. Nevertheless, he is said to be willing to retake and complete that course."

The Chief Justice said, despite the relatively small amount of methamphetamines found, there were two troubling aspects to his offending.

“Firstly, the methamphetamines secreted above the ceiling lining of his vehicle, together with the other drug-related paraphernalia left no doubt that not only did the drugs belonged to him but consistent with the information received by police, that he most likely possessed them for the purpose of supply. He continued to deny that.

“Secondly, he committed these offences within five months of being sentenced by the Magistrate's Court.”

The defendant was then sentenced to nine months imprisonment, but with the final six months of the head sentence suspended for two-years, on conditions.

This includes, not committing any offence punishable by imprisonment and completing a drugs awareness course, upon release.

Failure to comply with the conditions may result in the suspension being revoked and him being required to serve the balance of his prison sentence. The illicit drugs are to be destroyed with 
the $153 cash and other items seized be forfeited to the Crown, ordered the Chief Justice.