CANNABIS or dangerous drugs are becoming a serious issue over the past six months, with a high number of offenders apprehended by Police.
Police said that marijuana is a serious issue and is a fast growing offence and slowly killing our society.
Sources who could not be named confirmed that though police awareness projects have been carried out in different remote islands, it seemed that the locals did not adapt, resulting in more and more people arrested and gardens being raided.
They said that Justice Minister Ronald Warsal had the offences against morality penalties lifted and wished he would do the same for the Dangerous Drug Act CAP 12.
They said that offenders involved in drugs were rarely sent to prison because most of the cases received suspended sentences.
The call came after the court suspended Sylvain Pakoa’s sentence this week after he admitted to two counts of possession and cultivation as well.
Justice David Chetwynd said that the offences all took place at Pakoa’s residence at the Blacksands area on Efate.
He said that the evidence about weight is confusing as there seems to be photographs of a dozen or so substantial plants but the drug weight sheet talks of only 26.05 grams.
He said that in this case there is no evidence of commercial use but the photographs showed more than a ‘small number’ of plants and the case seemed to straddle the line between category 1 and category 2.
“This was more than a small number of plants for personal use but less than small scale commercial cultivation,” he said.
He said that the appropriate sentence is one of nine months.
He said that there were no aggravating factors and so far as mitigation is concerned, Pakoa is aged 29 years and is of previous good character, although there is reference to breaches of bail.
He said the defendant has spent three months in custody and has been spoken well of by his local Chief.
After considering three months deduction for the guilty plea, Justice Chetwynd said the final sentences should be six months imprisonment to be run concurrently but as Pakoa has already spent the equivalent of that time in custody he should be released immediately.
“As he will be released immediately there is no need to consider whether the sentence should be suspended or not,” he said.
“I order the destruction of the plants and all implements, tools and materials used in the cultivation of them.”
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