Sione Pongi (36) is serving 10-months imprisonment for possession of 0.16 grams of methamphetamine seized at Vaini in October this year.

Magistrate Pahulu-Kuli sentenced him on 15 December at the Magistrates Court in Nuku’alofa. He pleaded guilty to two charges that included possession of the methamphetamine and drug utensils on 5 October.

The Prosecution stated that the arrest resulted from a police operation after information was received that illicit drugs was being sold at a tax allotment in Vaini. When police went to the site they met a car with one named Sila driving. He was stopped, searched and was charged on a different case.

Police then continued to this tax allotment and found the defendant and when searched they found the illicit drug and the utensils under this proceedings.

“In the lower court the sentence it can impose when it comes to a Class A illicit drug under one gram is $10,000 or imprisonment sentence of not more than three-years or both. This goes the same to the sentence on possession of drug utensils.

“Aggravating factors included the fact that these are serious offences and illicit drugs is a major problem in the country for over 10-years now. At the same time, the seizure of the drug utensils it shows the use of illicit drugs and for it to be found on the defendant means he uses,” stated the Magistrate.

Meanwhile, he had previous convictions that included possession of 0.53 grams of methamphetamine. He also breached a suspended sentence when he committed this offence. He was initially sentenced to 10-months sentence, which was fully suspended for two-years effective from 28 July 2022.

The Magistrate did not suspend any part of the sentence, since the accused breached his suspended sentences and there was no sign that he had changed his life around when given the opportunity to do so.

She then sentenced him to six-months imprisonment on this case and his 10-months suspended sentence activated as submitted by the Prosecution. 

These two sentences are concurrent meaning he is serving a total of 10-months imprisonment. While the illicit drugs is to be destroyed, ordered the Magistrate.