Sione Pouono (20) was sentenced to five-years imprisonment for unlawful possession of illicit drugs and grievous bodily harm, when he severed another man's finger with a chopping knife at Lapaha.

Lord Chief Justice Whitten QC sentenced him on June 22, at the Nuku’alofa Supreme Court.

On May 18 this year, the defendant was found guilty on two counts of possessing 0.08 grams of methamphetamine and 
0.38 grams of cannabis.

That same day, he pleaded guilty to two counts of grievous bodily harm committed on Harvard Fale, on a separate case.

The drugs offences were on December 16, 2019 when Police received information about drug dealing at Tomasi Pouono's residence at Lapaha. 

He said when police arrived, several officers covertly observed a vehicle turn into the residence. They saw the defendant switch off the exterior lights and walk over to some trees on the fence line of the property beside the house. The defendant retrieved something from that location and gave it to the person in the vehicle. 

Police then raided the property and conducted a search, where they found the methamphetamines and cannabis, and seized on him $210 cash.

The Chief Justice regarded the seriousness of this offending and the strong evidence at trial that the possession here was for the purpose of supply.

Grievous bodily harm

Meanwhile, on November 7, 2020 only four days after, the defendant was granted bail by this Court on the drug offences, he committed grievous bodily harm on Fale.

The defendant was drinking alcohol with others when he got into an argument and resulted in fight with one of the men.

After they calmed down, the victim went to buy another bottle of alcohol, while the defendant went home, grabbed a chopping knife and returned to the drink-up with it.

“Without warning or any further provocation, the defendant then struck the victim with the knife on his nose. Then, as the victim grabbed his bleeding nose, he struck again, this time severing the victim's right index finger from his hand,” he said.

The victim was taken to the hospital for treatment.

Menace

The Lord Chief Justice said over the past year or so, the defendant excelled at making a menace of himself and became an increasing danger to society.

“However, some cause for optimism may be found in his admission and remorse for his most recent offending and that he has reportedly quit alcohol. I am also mindful of his unfortunate exposure, as a child, to drugs, which has clearly escalated since. He has also not had the support that the conditions of a partially suspended can provide,” he said.

"Methamphetamine is a scourge to societies everywhere that has affected a great deal of harm and misery. The distribution and use of methamphetamine in Tonga is a significant government and community concern."

He said, it is therefore the Court's responsibility “in addressing drug-related offending, involving methamphetamine, to ensure that sentences imposed are adequate and effective in denouncing and punish in 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 was sentenced to a total of five-years imprisonment. The final two-years was suspended for three-years on conditions.