A 36-YEAR-OLD man who confessed to possessing marijuana on four occasions and resisted police arrest has been sentenced to a total of 18 months in prison on Friday.
Jonas Tome pleaded guilty to four counts of possession of marijuana on various dates way back in 2009, 2011, 2012 and the latest one on March this year.
Another charge of resisting police arrest of which he pleaded guilty to was committed in 2009.
Principal Magistrate Jim Seuika told Tome that it seemed he had not learned his lesson given his criminal record.
Tome’s lawyer Ben Alasia of Public Solicitor’s Office has asked the court to consider his early guilty plea, he was remorseful and to consider the principal of totality as there were four counts of similar offences.
Prosecution however, submitted the court should consider the seriousness of the offences and to consider Tome’s previous convictions.
Mr Seuika said the court sees the dangers of the substance which the court does not allow to sell and sees the offences as serious.
He said the court does not tolerate such offences.
“The court accepted your guilty plea but also sees that a deterrence sentence is needed in your case,” Mr Seuika told Tome.
He then imposed six months each for the possession of marijuana charges while another six months for the resisting police arrest.
He then ordered that all the sentences for the possession of marijuana run consecutive, which means the total sentence for that offence is 24 months imprisonment.
The resisting police arrest charge was ordered to run concurrently to the 24 months imprisonment.
Mr Seuika then deducted six months for Tome’s guilty plea leaving him with only 18 months, to be back dated to the day he was taken into custody.
Police Prosecutor Wilfred Sura’au prosecuted the matter.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
