Faka’osi Katoa (43) was sentenced to 15-months imprisonment for possession of methamphatamine and cannabis, seized in two separate incidents in 2019-20.

Hon. Mr Justice Niu sentenced him on May 21, at the Nuku’alofa Supreme Court.

The accused pleaded guilty to two counts committed on April 19, 2019 when he was found in possession of 0.2 grams of methamphatamine, in a joint count with repeat drug offender Pangi Puloka, who had been jailed. He also possessed 1.48 grams of cannabis.

The accused then committed another offence on April 6, 2020 at 'Utulau, when he was found with 0.12 grams of methamphetamine. He initially pleaded not guilty but on the day of the trial on May 20, 2021 he changed his plea to guilty.

The judge said, the drugs found at Hofoa were in a hard drive belonging to the accused, which he took to Puloka's caravan and left it on a table beside, where Puloka was lying down to rest. The accused then went out and played pool.

Puloka knew the accused had the drugs in the hard drive and they were both convicted. The acccused also had $320.

He said, as for the offence in 'Utulau, police received information that he was driving around selling drugs in his vehicle numbered ZIDE OUT.

The police found and stopped his vehicle and the accused tried to swallow the pack of meth he had left. The susbtance was later confirmed as meth, weighing 0.12 grams.

The judge said, the accused’s income came from helping people import vehicles from Japan and from designing billboards and motor vehicle stickers. 
He also washed vehicles of a rental company, during the weekend.

"You are not a first offender because you committed the first offence in Hofoa in 2019 and a year later committed the other offence in 'Utulau in 2020. 
You have had since April 2019, to change and rehabilitate yourself but you did not. You went and committed the offence in 'Utulau in April 2020 instead."

In addition, he committed these offences without coercion or provocation and with full premeditation.

“He did not cooperate with the authorities, “in particular to inform the police of the names and addresses of your supplier or your customers, in order that the police are able to properly combat the supply and sale of drugs and use of drugs in Tonga,” he said.

"I do no see any evidence that you are likely to rehabilite yourself."

He sentenced him to 15-months imprisonment.

The cash was ordered to be forfeited to the Crown and the drugs to be destroyed by police.