KELEMETE Latu, who set fire to a small bush hut owned by a friend at Matahau in 2007 because his friend stole his clothes, received a nine months suspended sentence on condition of good behaviour.

In sentencing the accused to nine months imprisonment on April 19 Justice Shuster suspended the whole duration upon condition of good behaviour for the next nine months.

The boy who was 18 at the time of the offence pleaded guilty to one count of arson by setting fire to the property of Koli Tatafu. The bush hut that burned down was built by Koli as a separate hut for his son Lepa Tatafu who was the accused's friend.

Matahau

The court was told that around midnight on September 7, 2007 at Matahau the accused went to his neighbour and got some benzene. He took the benzene to the complainant's residence and poured it outside the wall of the bush hut and as well as inside. He then set it on fire before running away.

Kelemete a first time offender, told the police on September 13, 2007 the reason he set fire to the hut was because he was very disappointed with Lepa who had stole clothes from his house and ran away to Vava'u.

A Probation Report provided to the court said there was no longer any problem between Kelemete and Lepa and to date the accused had rebuilt the hut and had owned up completely and was also remorseful for what he did.

Justice Shuster in his sentence accepted that Keletmete has completely changed and had become a missionary of his church and supported his mother following the death of his father.

"In fact he was and is a good person but he committed the offence on the spur of the moment and I do not believe he would re-offend, as he is truly remorseful," said Justice Shuster.