Former Police inspector jailed for taking fuel [1]
Monday, September 16, 2013 - 15:51
A 57-year-old former Police Inspector and the Officer in Charge of the ‘Eua Police Station has been jailed for one-year starting today, after he was convicted of fraudulent conversion of taking fuel intended for the police vehicle for his own use.
Veimau Leone who appeared before the Chief Justice Hon. Michael Scott this morning at the Nuku’alofa Supreme Court received an 18-months sentence. The judge suspended the final six-months of his sentence for two-years, meaning he would serve one-year at Hu’atolitoli Prison.
The accused was found guilty after a trial on September 2-4, 2013 before the Chief Justice in 'Ohonua, 'Eua and sentencing was diverted to be passed down in Nuku'alofa.
He said Leone was the officer in charge of the Police station in ‘Eua, when he diverted 200 litres of fuel worth $546 pa’anga for his own use.
He committed the offence 10 times and took 20 litres of fuel intended to fill up the police vehicle for his own personal use. The offence was known in March 2011 and the accused retired in July that year.
Chief Justice Scott noted the accused was in a position of power as he was the officer in charge of the ‘Eua Police station and his offending impacted the public’s confidence in the police.
The accused was represented by ‘Ofa Pouono and Sione Sisfa acted for the Crown.