COURT: PROTECT VILLAGES FROM DRUG DEALERS

CUSTODIAL sentences are needed to protect members of the community
from people who sell illicit drugs in the village, says Suva
Magistrate Josaia Waqaivolavola.

He made the comment while sentencing a villager to 16 months in jail.

Emosi Toalevu, 43, pleaded guilty to being in possession of 5.7grams
of marijuana.

Passing sentence, Mr Waqaivolavola said the prison term would
discourage youths from using illicit drugs and stop drugs from being
sold openly, especially in a village set up. "This should act as a
future deterrent to you and other people who sell this illicit drugs
and also potential drugs sellers from committing this offence in
future, especially those who introduce it to villagers, let alone
those who sell it," said Mr Waqaivolavola.

Acting on a tip off, police searched Toalevu's house in Nausori on
March 12 this year. Toalevu ran away when he saw the police, who
found 10 sachets of dried leaves under a mattress.

The leaves were later confirmed to be marijuana. In mitigation,
Toalevu said he was married with a six-month child and his wife had
one leg amputated and was being looked after by an Assemblies of God
church. He told the court he supported his family through
subsistence farming. Toalevu said he was reformed, having joined a
church and that he fully cooperated with police.

Mr Waqaivolavola started off with a two-year prison term and
increased it by nine months to reflect the fact that Toalevu was
selling the drugs in Rewa.

Mr Waqaivolavola said Toalevu committed the offence at Lomanikoro
Village in Rewa, which one third of the Fijian community looked up to
for leadership.

"You have breached the traditional trust of the people of Burebasaga
by exposing the people of Lomanikoro to illicit drugs," he said.
"Your actions had brought disrepute to the vanua."

He reduced the sentence by nine months due to the fact that Toalevu
had been reformed and reduced it by another eight months owing to the
guilty plea.