Justice Salesi Temo has sent out a message to a man, who is evading court and facing ag­gravated robbery charges, to man up and face the consequences.

Justice Temo called out Suliano Nakulanikoro Rokosuka, who is charged with Robert Ray William Sautu, 20, and Nonavu Lalanabar­avi Vakatawanavanua, 32, and a ju­venile, 17.

The trio along with the juvenile were jointly charged with three counts of aggravated robberies for robbing three people at a supermar­ket in Suva on May 7, 2019.

“I respect people who commit the crime and come to court,” Justice Temo said.

“You commit a crime, you must be man enough to turn up to court and face the consequences.

“I have no respect for men who run away after committing serious crimes.

“If I was in his shoes and commit­ted a crime, and if Police find me, I would face the court.

“If they throw me in jail, I would go to jail and face the consequenc­es.”

Particulars and sentencing

Sautu, Vakatawanavanua and the juvenile were found guilty of the charges. They robbed B Pratap Supermarket’s Shalini Pratap of $4324.50 cash, cigarettes, alcohol, mobile top ups and a blue track jacket.

They also robbed Rohinesh Prasad of $200 and his mobile phone as well as $200 from Frank Kade and his mobile phone.

The court heard that Sautu and the juvenile were unemployed and looking for money when they met Vakatawanavanua who drove a ve­hicle doing private jobs to support his family.

On the day of the offence, Sautu and the juvenile planned to rob the supermarket and instructed Vakatawanavanua on how to sur­vey the targeted supermarket and provide transport for them.

Sautu and the juvenile went into the supermarket armed with knives and sharp shifters and attacked two employees of the supermarket in­cluding a customer, Frank Kade.

In his sentencing last Friday, the court heard that Sautu, Vakata­wanavanua and the juvenile had pleaded guilty to the charges, how­ever, Rokosuka had been evading court.

Justice Temo has issued a bench warrant for Rokosuka for him to be arrested and produced in court.

He sentenced Sautu and Vakata­wanavanua to four years imprison­ment with no parole.

He said one third of the sentence would be deducted depending on the behaviour of the two offenders.

For the juvenile, Justice Temo sen­tenced him to two years imprison­ment suspended for 18 months.

He said to the juvenile to turn his back away from crime and warned him to change his ways.

“If you want money then work hard for it and earn it,” he told the juvenile.

“So many people are rotting in the prison for that behaviour. Do not be like them.”