Lafitani Mahe who is currently serving a prison term for housebreaking and theft got additional time for possession of illicit drugs, after being sentenced at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court today.

He pleaded guilty to possession of 2.02 grams of cannabis, assaulting a police officer and interfering with the course of justice at Fasi on October 28, 2020.

Tupou Haupeakui, his co-accused pleaded guilty to possession of 0.24 grams of methamphetamine, at the same place.

The judge said, the police had received information that Tupou was driving around in a rental vehicle in Nuku'alofa with Lafitani, selling drugs.

The police followed their rental car from Mataika to Fasi where they turned into a home and both got out. The police officers got out of their vehicle and walked towards them but they ran. He said Tupou threw a plastic bag away and Lafitani threw away two packs of cannabis before he ran.

The Police chased and caught them both. They also found the plastic bag that Tupou had thrown away, which contained five packs of methamphetamine and a straw.

“Lafitani put a pack of white substance into his mouth when he was caught. Police told him to spit it out but he didn't, so the officer tried to take it out but he bit his finger,” said the judge.

He then spat out the pack sometimes afterwards but the white substance in it had already dissolved. The police also found the two packs of cannabis that he threw away.

In addition, inside the rental car a test tube in an empty coke can was found on the dashboard, as well as empty packs and $110 pa'anga cash.

The judge in sentencing Lafitani, said he was presently serving an imprisonment sentence of five-years six-months, imposed on him in February this year for housebreaking and theft.

He sentenced him to 18-months imprisonment for all three offences, but suspended six-months for two-years on conditions.

Of the 12-months remaining, six months was ordered to be served concurrently with his current sentence of theft and housebreaking. This means, that Lafitani will only serve an additional six-months sentence.

“I consider that this is quite proper and reasonable in view of the need to consider your present offences together with your previous offences, in order that you are not unduly and repeatedly punished for all these various offences,” said the judge.

As for Tupou, he was sentenced to six-months imprisonment fully suspended for two-years. This on conditions that he serve 25-hours of community service as directed by the probation service

The judge ordered that all illicit drugs be destroyed by the police, and that the paraphernalia and the cash of to be forfeited to the Crown.