The Supreme Court has sentenced a man to a suspended sentence after he pleaded guilty to fire arms charges.
Sitiveni Loupua Mahe was sentenced to a year in prison on a charge of carrying arms in public place, one year for discharging a firearm with intention to intimidate and one year for possession of firearm without a licence.
All sentences were fully suspended for a period of two years.
The court was told the offence were committed in Popua outside the Church of Tonga hall where some dance practice was held.
Mahe fired a .22 rifle it on the road just behind or beside Litili Televave’s feet twice. The gravel thrown up by the first bullet hit his hands. You then got into your vehicle and drove away.
When questioned by the police Mahe said that he was fired the shots because he was drunk and happy.
Judge Niu said he accepted that Mahe’s behaviour was out of the ordinary and attributable to his having drunk alcohol, something that as a Mormon he was not supposed to do.
The judge said that Mahe had no previous criminal conviction and had apologised to the victim.
He had offered to resign from his position as head of the Popua community police force, but the community wanted him to stay in the position.
Legal counsel for the prosecution and defence both argued that Mahe’s sentence be suspended.
Judge Niu said if Mahe committed another offence within the two years he would be jailed for the firearm offence as well as the new offence.
His air rifle was confiscated.
The main points
- The Supreme Court has sentenced a man to a suspended sentence after he pleaded guilty to fire arms charges.
- Sitiveni Loupua Mahe was sentenced to a year in prison on a charge of carrying arms in public place, one year for discharging a firearm with intention to intimidate and one year for possession of firearm without a licence.
