By Linny Folau

Rodney Toki (28) who is currently serving a lengthy jail term for a string of armed robberies at Chinese-run shops in Tonga has been sentenced to five-years and four-months imprisonment for other offences. 

Hon. Mr Justice Cooper sentenced him on one count of theft, three for serious housebreaking and three associated thefts, in a crime spree that spanned from late July until the end of August 2021.

The accused's new sentence will be held concurrently with his 12-years and three-months imprisonment for the series of armed robberies committed between 8-11 January, 2021 on shops in Tonga.

Theft spree

The offences on this case were at different homes, where Toki stole various goods from electronics to valuable Tongan koloa [mats].

At one home he broke into at Fangaloto, he stole goods with an approximate value of $14,000. At another residence, he went armed with a machete targeting high value electronic items and jewellery.

The jewellery was worth $25,000. Less than half the items were recovered by the police.

The judge said in November 2021, he sentenced Toki to his lengthy imprisonment term for the series of armed robberies on shops.

At the time, he had a series of previous convictions for nine offences from 2014 and 2020, including two for robbery, both in 2016, the second of which he received a sentence of six-years' imprisonment, the final 18-months suspended.

Other offences included four for theft as well as serious house breaking and common assault. 


It was while he was on bail for the offences of robbery that he committed the offences that he was sentenced for.

Concurrent

Meanwhile, the judge considered whether any part of Toki's sentence should run consecutively with his sentence of 12-years and three-months.

"I have considered this very carefully, including the loss and harm that was caused to the victims as well as the history of repeat offending, especially on bail. The term of 12-years and three-months' imprisonment is so substantial that to add to it would not be just."

He then sentenced Toki to an overall sentence of five-years and four-months' imprisonment, with no suspension. 

However, this sentence will run concurrently with his jail term of 12-years and three months.