A man has received a sentence of four-and-a-half years in prison after being apprehended for possession of methamphetamine and $2,800 in cash.
Kisina Neiufi, 33, was arrested after Police found in his car 3.51 grams of methamphetamine and five empty dealer packs.
His sentencing means he violated the 12-month suspension imposed for a prior drug conviction, prompting Justice Cooper to activate that suspension.
The court was told that the police, acting on information received, specifically targeted Neiufi’s car.
As he approached an ‘api in Vaotu’u, police in two vehicles boxed in his car, and as they moved in to search him and his wife in the front passenger seat.
He was seen throwing an item from the front passenger window, which the police later identified as methamphetamine.
The police also found TOP$ 2,800 in Neiufi’s possession. Along with the cash, empty ‘dealer’ bags were recovered from his hand.
A pre-sentence report showed Neiufi was a talented rugby player.
He married in 2016, and his wife told the Probation Officer that his constant illicit drug use had deeply affected her, their marriage and attempts at a stable life.
She had tried many times to forgive him, having been assured he had changed, but to no avail.
They have a child together whom she supports through her hard work.
Vaotu’u town officer, Mr. Amipeliasi Tu’akoi, told the court Neiufi is not a bad person and as such is not detrimental to their community.
While Neiufi maintains his innocence, it is noteworthy he never put forward any explanation for the ‘dealer bags’ found in his possession and were photographed by police, wrapped around some of the $50 bank notes that were found in his hand by the officers.
“That tends to underline how unrealistic his protestations of innocence are”, Mr Cooper said.
