By Linny Folau

Piliote Uasike was sentenced to four years imprisonment for two charges including possession of 3.09 grams of methamphetamine and utensils seized by Police in a vehicle, he was a passenger of in Nuku’alofa. This was his third set of drugs offences in 2024 alone.

On 21 January, Justice Cooper sentenced him on the two charges committed on 11 April, 2024. This was after he convicted in a trial, where he was jointly charged with a co-accused Miss Malamala.

“I have not been provided with the dates of the offending for the convictions in 2024 so as to determine this. A rather basic oversight, I must say. That as it may be, he stands to be sentenced for his fifth set of drugs offending, third set of drugs’ offences in 2024 and a protracted and cynical course of offending, in that he was clearly being transported around Tonga ready and able and seemingly in the process of dealing drugs.”

The court heard that the allegation centered on the events of that night and very little of the Crown’s case was challenged. Miss Malamala was the driver of the car and Mr. Uasike was the front passenger.

Police Officer Vi had received information from a source that led him and in turn his colleagues, to the car both defendants were found in.

When Officer Vi first spotted that car, it was in the Patangata area of Popua. It was travelling west towards Nuku’alofa and the officer could see that Mr. Uasike was in the vehicle.

Officer Vi was in contact with colleagues in a second vehicle. He followed the target vehicle and saw it turn into a drive at the Kimiko Restaurant in Fasi, which is on the corner with the junction of the Vuna Road, the Chinese Embassy being situated at the other side of that side road. His colleagues approached in their vehicle and blocked the car Miss. Malamala was driving.

An officer went straight to the driver’s side and opened the car door and restrained Miss Malamala. Mr. Uasike was caught red-handed. He had over 3 grams of methamphetamine in his possession, 2.85 grams in one packet and four 0.6 gram ‘deals’ with it, making a total of 3.09 grams, he stated.

The judge stated that when the accused was apprehended he sat in the front passenger car seat and was trying to get rid of the illicit drugs from his pocket. This is where they were found and indeed photographed as being, by his side, in a line with his pocket where he had tried to get rid of them from as the police closed in.

He was also holding in his other hand $370 in cash and by his front seat was a set of weighing scales, with a further two quantities of cash were recovered, $65 at his feet and $50 from the little black bag the illicit drugs were in.

Extensive criminal record

The accused has 10 previous convictions for 15 offences, dating back to 2011. He has three convictions for housebreaking and theft, all dealt with in the Magistrates’ Court where he variously received community punishment orders, imprisonment and further community punishment orders.

The judge stated that he had committed offences of wilfully damaging property, using threatening language to a government servant and an offence of having possession of a loaded weapon, without a license

“His drug convictions started in 2019. He was sentenced to imprisonment in the Supreme Court for possession illicit drugs in October that year. Moreover, in 2021 in the Magistrates’ court he was sentenced to a prison, again for possession of illicit drugs, this time, also possession drug utensils.

“In 2023, again possession of both illicit drugs and utensils he was sentenced in the Magistrates’ court to a term of imprisonment and in December that year a further term of imprisonment for possession drug utensils. From that facts before me it is not clear if this offence was committed on bail. In addition, his pre-sentence report set out that Mr. Uasike has an extensive criminal record and that illicit drug use is at the heart of it, stated the judge.

"He apparently finally admits these offences. Whilst these factors have not been explored, it is quite clear that with his criminal past and continued drug offending, despite many convictions and chances the Courts have given, he is at a high risk of re-offending. He is plainly a high risk to the community. When I consider the harm that methamphetamine causes society and the way that Mr. Uasike has constantly, over the last 5 years, been involved in illicit drug offending, I view these offences very seriously."

The offender was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment back dated to his first remand in custody on 28, August 2024. The sentence must be served in full. All money, drugs and paraphernalia are to be retained for the trial of his co-accused and disposed on appropriate application, ordered the judge.