Tevita Vaka Lutui (35) is serving 10-months imprisonment for possession of 0.21 grams of methamphetamine at Tokomololo.

Magistrate Tu’akalau sentenced him this month at the Magistrate’s Court in Nuku’alofa.

The offending was in the early morning hours of 27 June 2023, when Police Office Vi received reliable information that the defendant was selling illicit drugs at a residence in Tokomololo.

Police attended to this residence where the defendant was present and the illicit drugs A and B (cannabis) and drug utensils were found.

The Crown submitted the aggravating factors included the defendant having previous convictions and that illicit drugs are a problem in Tonga, among other things.

He initially pleaded not guilty to three counts but the Crown withdrew two and proceeded with the possession of methamphetamine, for which he then changed his plea to guilty. A mitigating factors was that he changed his plea to guilty.                

Meanwhile, the prosecution in its sentencing submissions stated that due to the seriousness of the offending and the possession of a Class A drug that he be sentenced to nine to 12-months imprisonment. He also had previous convictions for similar offences.

In addition, they submitted to the lower court not to consider a suspended sentence because not only did he have a previous conviction, but he had also breached his suspended sentence.

He was then sentenced to six-months imprisonment, while four-months of his suspended sentence was activated and added to it, resulting in a total of 10-months imprisonment.

The illicit drugs were ordered to be destroyed.