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Offender busted with substantial meth jailed [1]

Nuku'alofa, Tonga

Thursday, May 13, 2021 - 17:19

Hu'atolitoli Prison, Tongatapu. 2021.
 
Kelikupa Maile (34) was sentenced today to 30-months imprisonment for possession of a substantial amount of methamphetamines and some cannabis, seized in a vehicle by Tonga Police.
 
Lord Chief Justice Whitten QC sentenced him at the Nuku’alofa Supreme Court.

He pleaded guilty to three counts of possession 11 packets of methamphetamines, totaling 0.5 grams; three packets of methamphetamines totaling 2.5 grams; and 
possession of 47.89 grams of cannabis, 1.46 grams of cannabis seeds and 1.97 grams of cannabis plant (totaling at 51.32 grams).

On May 3, 2019 Police received information that four occupants of a vehicle parked at Longolongo were smoking illicit drugs.

He said that when Police arrived, the defendant, who was the driver, attempted to drive off but was stopped by the Police, who saw a bag of cannabis and a black bag on his lap.

A search of the vehicle revealed methamphetamines, packets of cannabis, cannabis seeds, cannabis plant, cannabis residue, test tubes, a weighing scale, cash, utensils for smoking and a gas tank used to make utensils for smoking methamphetamine.

When Police subsequently searched the defendant's home, they found 14 test tubes, a portable gas cooker and five conical flasks.

The Crown submitted aggravating factors included, the substantial amount of methamphetamines and moderate amount of cannabis seized.

The accused had previous convictions.

The Chief Justice said the Court's responsibility in addressing drug-related offending involving methamphetamine, is to “ensure that sentences imposed...are adequate and effective in denouncing and punishing such crimes, provide a strong deterrent effect, not just for individual offenders, but also for the general community and those who may contemplate succumbing to the toxic allure of illegal drugs and also to provide incentive and opportunity for rehabilitation of those who have succumbed.”

“The defendant committed this offending, while on bail for another offence, which is a serious circumstance of aggravation.

“He also did not co-operate with the authorities and he only pleaded guilty at the start of his trial. He is not a first time offender, although, I am proceeding on the basis that this is his first detected drug-related offending, he said.

The defendant was sentenced to 30-months imprisonment, but with the final 12-months of the head sentence suspended for two-years, on conditions.

Failure to comply with the conditions may result in the suspension being rescinded, and the defendant will be required to serve the balance of his sentence, said the Chief Justice.

The illicit drugs are to be 
destroyed with the cash and other drug related paraphernalia forfeited to the Crown.

Tonga [2]
Illicit Drugs [3]
methamphetamine [4]
cannabis [5]
Lord Chief Justice Michael Whitten [6]
Nuku'alofa Supreme Court [7]
From the Courts [8]

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Source URL:https://matangitonga.to/2021/05/13/offender-busted-substantial-meth-jailed

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[1] https://matangitonga.to/2021/05/13/offender-busted-substantial-meth-jailed [2] https://matangitonga.to/tag/tonga?page=1 [3] https://matangitonga.to/tag/illicit-drugs?page=1 [4] https://matangitonga.to/tag/methamphetamine?page=1 [5] https://matangitonga.to/tag/cannabis?page=1 [6] https://matangitonga.to/tag/lord-chief-justice-michael-whitten?page=1 [7] https://matangitonga.to/tag/nukualofa-supreme-court?page=1 [8] https://matangitonga.to/topic/courts?page=1