A former kitchen hand who stole tomato sauce and food items from the Janfull International Hotel appeared in the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court on February 28.

The accused, Simifi Mahe of Hofoa changed his plea from not guilty to guilty to the charges of housebreaking and theft of the food items valued at $67.50.

Chief Justice Robin Webster told the court that he would pass his sentence on March 29.

The Crown told the court that Mahe, was a former kitchen hand employee of the hotel who three weeks earlier had been suspended from his job for being no longer trustworthy. Later the accused had entered the hotel on the morning of November 26 of 2003 and stole from the kitchen food items consisting of 2 bottles of tomato sauce, 2 Indonesia café, 1 container of Milo, 3 kg of white sugar, 1 container of cocoa, 1 box of orange juice and frozen mixed vegetables.

The accused managed to escape through the back of the hotel, and upon inspection of the hotel kitchen later it became evident that food items were missing.

After searching the surrounding area across from the hotel the police discovered a black handbag along the shorefront with the missing items inside. The police apprehended the accused on that same day.

Legal counsel for the Crown was Sela Raasch and representing the defendant was Mele Mangisi.