By Linny Folau

Kalolaine Fainga’a (32) is serving three years four months in prison for serious housebreaking and theft of goods worth $13,830, including Tongan handicrafts and jewellery from a residence in Tofoa. This was in addition to a suspended sentenced, which was activated.

The offences were committed on 30 November 2023, from around 8:30am to 5:00pm, when the complainant Fatai Vaihu left her house to go elsewhere, with no one at home.

In a summary of facts by the Prosecution, the complainant had noticed several people were doing yard work and gardening in the neighbouring residence from her house, which she had noticed for the past three days. She did not recognise any of them.

At around 5:00pm, the complainant returned to her house with two of her family members to find that the freezer at the back of her house had been moved and that a window behind the freezer was open.

They discovered the house had been ransacked, and that the drawers and dressers in the rooms had been opened and there were several missing items.

From her room, items missing included eight liquor bottles, two bottles of perfume, one set of 10 perfume bottles, two tapa cloths, 14-carat gold necklace; earrings, other jewellery and two ta'ovalas.

From her husband's room items missing included one set of several bottles of perfume; one ta'ovala lokeha, a pair of safety boots; and pairs of new shoes.

The complainant then called the Police.

The Forensics unit discovered some prints on the opened window at the back of the house, which they lifted and analysed. On 1 February 2024, the accused was questioned by Police in a recorded interview.

On 29 November this year, Lord Chief Justice Bishop sentenced her at the Supreme Court in Nuku’alofa. This was after she pleaded guilty to both counts. None of the stolen goods were recovered.

“Housebreaking is always a serious matter, it destroys security, it engenders fear and causes financial distress. Here the goods involved included jewellery that had irreplaceable value, you initially denied being involved and only pleaded guilty after fingerprint evidence left you with no choice.”

The accused also had previous convictions.

The Lord Chief Justice sentenced her to two and a half years imprisonment for the two counts on the instant case. He also activated her suspended sentence of 22 months from another conviction and ordered it to be served cumulatively to the above sentence.

This meant that in total, she was sentenced to four years and four months imprisonment, with 12 months suspended for two years on conditions. This includes not committing any offence punishable by imprisonment and she must complete a life skills awareness course at the direction of the Probation Officer.

The accused who is now serving three years four months imprisonment had her sentence backdated to 15 October 2024, when she was detained in custody for this matter.