Extended sentence for jailed drugs offender [1]
Wednesday, August 4, 2021 - 17:59
Tipiloma Funaki (52) from Fua’amotu has been jailed for possession of 0.25 grams of methamphetamine and 108.33 grams of cannabis, seized at a house in Hauloto.
On July 29, Hon Mr Justice Cooper sentenced him at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court on possessing the methamphetamine and cannabis.
On February 15, 2020 at around 4:00am, Tonga Police received information that the defendant was driving around with illicit drugs in a green mistral vehicle, in the ‘Utulau area.
Police then drove to ‘Utulau and saw the accused in his vehicle. They followed him as he drove into a tax allotment, at Hauloto where there was a small dwelling house.
The judge said the defendant was arrested inside the house and where police seized a total of 43 individually sealed packets of cannabis, a test tube, $450 and a single packet of methamphetamine.
He pleaded guilty to the offences.
He was previously sentenced at the Magistrates' Court on July 27 to eight-months imprisonment (with the final two-months suspended) on a separate drugs case.
“The totally principle demands I must therefore take into account the sentences passed in the Magistrates' Court,” said the judge.
"From the evidence, there is nothing to show that methamphetamine was possessed with the purpose of supply in this case."
“As for the cannabis, given the presence of the cash, the quantity of dealer bags, I infer that this was possession with the purpose of supply,” he said.
He then sentenced the defendant to eight-months imprisonment for meth to be served concurrently with the sentence imposed by the Magistrate, and an additional four and a half months for the cannabis.
This meant that he is serving an overall sentence of 12 and a half months imprisonment, but with the final two-months suspended, on conditions.
The money is to be forfeited. While, the drugs, mobile phones and any other paraphernalia seized to be destroyed, ordered the judge.
The defendant had previous convictions for theft.