A suspended Tonga Police officer ‘Isitolo Sakopo (30) and Kaniteli Guttenbeil (32) were each sentenced to one-year 10-months imprisonment for possession of methamphetamine.

Hon. Mr Justice Niu sentenced the two men on August 25, at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court. This was after they pleaded guilty to two joint counts of possessing 0.13 grams and 1.13 grams of methamphetamine in Nuku'alofa.

On July 30, 2020 Tonga Police received information that 'Isitolo was driving around Vuna Road selling illicit drugs.

The judge said the accused was reported to have been hiding the drugs in his vehicle by gluing a magnet to the container of drug packs and sticking the magnet on to a metal part of the vehicle that was not easy to detect. 


The police found this vehicle, with 'Isitolo driving and Kaniteli sitting in the front passenger seat, near the American Wharf.

Police found a small pouch on the driver's seat under which there were two packs of methamphetamine. They found empty packs and earbuds inside the pouch.

'Isitolo told the police that the pouch was his, while Kaniteli admitted that the methamphetamine belonged to him.

The police also found a bag in the boot of the car and 'Isitolo claimed it as his, said the judge.

A police dog was used and indicated something underneath the front passenger seat. Police found a pipe with a magnet glued to it and stuck to a metal part on the underside of the passenger seat. Five packs of methamphetamine were also found packed into the pipe.

The methamphetamine in the two packs found on the driver's seat weighed 0.13 grams and the methamphetamine in the five packs, under the front passenger seat weighed 1.13 grams, he said.

Law breaking

The judge said the fact that 'Isitolo was a police officer made it worse.

“The Probation officer said he joined the Police but was suspended. She did not explain or say why except to say that he was not guilty of any offence.

“However, after an inquiry with the Police Human Resources, the probation officer was told that it was up to the Police Board to decide whether 'Isitolo was fit to continue to be a police officer,” he said.

"‘Isitolo is a well-educated person, holding the position of trust and respect of a police officer who should be upholding the law, and should have known better than to break the law he was supposed to uphold. Kaniteli supported 'Isitolo, a police officer to break the law."

The judge said the appropriate starting point for these offences was 30-months imprisonment rather than the 18-months, as the Crown had recommended.

"That properly reflects the seriousness of your offences because of the involvement of 'Isitolo as a police officer."

He sentenced them to one-year 10-months imprisonment each. The final 10 months was suspended for two-years on conditions.

The drugs and items seized were ordered to be destroyed by Police.