A Ha’asini man had been sentenced to one year and sixth months after providing illicit drugs to a child, 14, at Veitongo.
The last six months of his imprisonment term was suspended for 12 months on conditions.
Acting on a tip-off, the Police located Fili Napa’a, 31, in the driver seat of his vehicle with two passengers, one on the front passenger seat and one at the back seat.
They found and confiscated part of a plastic bag on a compartment of the driver’s door.
They also discovered a plastic bag containing suspected cannabis branches and leaves on the driver’s seat floor, a .22 rifle beside the driver’s seat and an empty pocket on top of the speedo meter.
The Police also found $20 on a compartment underneath the radio-set.
A test tube containing a suspected methamphetamine inside the sun visor of the driver’s seat was also found as well as three packets of suspected cannabis on the back seat.
A yellow bowl containing cannabis leaves and cannabis leaves were found on the floor of the back seat.
The Police also searched Napa’a’s house at Ha’asini where they discovered more cannabis leaves and branches as well as drugs paraphernalia which they later tested and confirmed as illicit drugs.
The prisoner had previous convictions in which he received a suspended sentence for theft count in 2011.
In 2012 he was fined for drunkenness and escaping custody.
In 2014 he was fined for drunkenness and assault.
In 2019 he was fined for possession of illicit drugs.
Justice Cooper reduced Napa’a’s sentence for his guilty plea based on the following conditions:
- He must report to probation within 24 hours of his release
- He must be put on probation
- He must complete a drug awareness course, and
- He must not commit any offence punishable by imprisonment
“18 months imprisonment, the final 6 months suspended for 12 months on the above conditions”.
