Tau'a'alo Kavaliku of Vaini was given an 18 months suspended sentence by Chief Justice Anthony Ford at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court on Friday, August 22.

Tau'a'alo (37) was charged with two counts of attending a riotous assembly and the destruction of a building by rioters namely the Pacific Royale Hotel on November 16, 2006.

Chief Justice Ford told the court that it was alleged that the accused and others started the destruction of the Pacific Royale Hotel.

Pangai Si'i

The accused on the day of the riot went to Pangai Si'i for the meeting and when the riots broke out he felt aggravated and joined the crowds to Pacific Royale Hotel.

The Chief Justice said the probation report stated that the accused used a stick to poke and smash the glass windows at the hotel, and although the charges were very serious but his involvement was not in the serious category.

"You, like others, got caught up in the unfortunate events of November 16 and now you have to face the consequences but unlike others you faced up and admitted your wrongdoing," he said.

The Chief Justice in his assessment of the accused said he was low risk of re offending and the probation report described him as a very hard working family man and he must be a responsible person to have recently been appointed as a community police officer at his village.

"I accept that you are remorseful and you are most unlikely to commit again as you have learned your lesson."

Voluntary work

The accused was given credit for having no previous criminal record and his guilty plea; warranted the Chief Justice to suspend the whole 18 months sentence for two years on the condition that he carry out 100 hours of voluntary work. If he failed to do so or commit any other crimes during the probation period he would be brought to court and sent straight to Hu'atolitoli prison.

The Crown Prosecutor was Semisi Lutui and the legal counsel for the accused was Manamo'ui Kaufusi.