Sione Moli (35) was sentenced today to three-years imprisonment for possession of 6.91 grams of methamphetamine seized by Tonga Police, after receiving information that he was selling from his home in Nukunuku.

Lord Chief Justice M.H. Whitten QC who appeared via audio visual link (AVL) since he is abroad on leave, sentenced Moli on counts of possessing 6.91 grams of methamphetamine, 0.88 grams of cannabis and utensils.

Maika Namoa (29) was sentenced on one count of destruction of evidence. Both had pleaded guilty to the offences in September, at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court.

On April 27 this year, Police received information that Sione was selling drugs from his residence in Nukunuku. Police arrived and conducted a search of the premises.

As Maika was being detained, he threw a test-tube towards the bathroom area and broke it.

Sione Moli

Sione co-operated with the police and showed them where drugs were kept in his house.

During the search, police found various small packs of methamphetamine, cannabis, empty dealer bags, drug-related utensils, and a total of $1,415 in cash.

Aggravating factors submitted by the Crown was the substantial amount of methamphetamine seized at his residence. The dealer bags and other drug-related utensils and cash found indicated 
that he was involved in a small commercial supply of drugs.

Further, this offending was committed only five-months into the suspension period on another case.

The Lord Chief Justice said, though the defendant had only been charged with possession, the amount of methamphetamines found together with the other drug-related paraphernalia and his candid admissions to the probation officer made plain that the possession was for the purpose of supply.

"The fact that the defendant served a lengthy prison sentence in New Zealand for drugs, following which he was deported to Tonga, and where he committed further drug-related offences in 2020 for which he received a fully suspended sentence, and then this year, continued on committing even more serious offences, clearly shows his moral culpability, continuing disobedience to the law and his dangerous propensity."

He said in those circumstances, a more severe penalty is warranted than might have been the case for a defendant without such a poor record and declined to order suspension of any part of the sentence.

The defendant was then sentenced to three-years imprisonment with another nine-months added for his breach of his suspension on the previous case.

He is now serving a total of three-years and nine-months imprisonment.

Maika Namoa

As for Maika, the Crown submitted, as an aggravating factor of his offending was that he deliberately threw the test tube to avoid getting caught and being charged with possession. 

However, he entered an early guilty plea with no previous convictions.

“In relation to the offending, Maika told the probation officer that he was visiting Sione at his house when the police arrived. He said he was holding Sione's smoking test-tube, and that he panicked and threw the test-tube away. I note he did not explain why he had the test-tube in the first place,” said the Lord Chief Justice.

The probation officer also reported that Maika was genuinely remorseful, had a young family for whom to provide for and recommended a non-custodial sentence.

He was then sentenced to 16-months imprisonment, fully suspended for two-years on conditions.