A young woman who found it easy to get money by lying to people will serve a three year prison sentence for false pretences.

'Asena Fotofili (26) of Sopu was sentenced by Chief Justice Robin Webster at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court on December 13 to three years imprisonment for false pretences.

...‘Asena pleaded guilty to false pretences admitted that during a period of six months, between August 2002 and February 2003 she lied to four different people and obtained cash and goods valued at $22,000.

In August 2002 'Asena lied to Maile and ...‘Asinate Panuve of Ngele...’ia that she was working for a Travel Agent in Fiji and told them if they paid her $4,020 pa...’anga, she could get them visas to travel to the USA.

In December 2002 ...‘Asena borrowed $12,500 pa...’anga from Tevita Vaingalo of Ha'ateiho, after lying to him that the money was to pay for the unloading of a container of imported goods at the Queen Salote wharf.

Also during during December 2002 'Asena went to the Tonga Hua retail and wholesale store and purchased goods valued at $2,205.82. She paid the store with a Bank of Tonga cheque, which later bounced.

In February 2003 at Popua ...‘Asena borrowed $3,560 from a taxi driver, 'Ahotau Kali. She lied to him that the money was to pay for the duty of a container of imported goods at the Queen Salote wharf. 'Ahotau told the court that he gave 'Asena the money because he trusted her, the daughter of church minister.

'Asena had only managed to repay Maile and ...‘Asinate Panuve $2,700 pa...’anga. She repaid Tevita Vaingalo with only $2000 worth of furniture. The Tonga Hua and ...‘Ahotau Kali had not received any compensation at all from 'Asena.

The legal counsel for the accused, Kelepi Piukala said that ...‘Asena got carried away with how relatively easy it was for her to get money from people by just simply lying to them.

In sentencing 'Asena, Chief Justice Robin Webster told ...‘Asena that the maximum imprisonment sentence for false pretense was seven years imprisonment but because she pleaded guilty he was giving her a reduced sentence of three years and a suspended sentence for the last 18 months of her sentence.

The legal counsel for the Crown was Sione Sisifa.