Senior Church Member Awaits Sentence For Drug Charges

A senior member of the Sabeto Methodist Church will remain in Police custody until his sentencing on Friday by the High Court in Lautoka.

Yesterday Paul Madigan read his judgment on the accused Peniasi Sukanakoniferedi, 44, convicted with three separate counts relating to possession of illicit drugs.

Justice Madigan told the court that he agreed with the decision of the assessors and found the accused guilty as charged.

In mitigation the defence counsel begged the court’s mercy and leniency when sentencing the accused who is remorseful for the wrong committed.

Defence counsel told the court that the senior church member was a first offender in a drug related case, but he had a previous conviction for damaging property in 2002.

The man is married with three children, the eldest being 18 and the youngest being a two-year-old baby.

He is unemployed since arrested for the charges, but relied on subsistence farming to meet his family’s needs.

The Prosecution in submitting its sentencing submission to the court, said that the accused had been in remand for eight months and three days.

The case will be called on Friday at 10:30am.

Edited by Percy Kean

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