In court news, Apia Loi convicted of burglarizing the residence of an expatriate employed by the United Nations has been sentenced to 12 months in jail.
The incident occurred last year December in Apia, where the defendant unlawfully entered a residence in Apia.
The items removed from the house included a laptop, black back headphones, Canon and Cash of $900 the total value of items removed was $7,600. A second incident occurred the same month when the defendant stole a television set and sold it.
Sentencing was handed down by Justice Lesātele Rapi Vaai.
In his judgement and sentencing recently released, the 21-year-old defendant was first involved with the law in January 2017 when he was, 15 years old, and was charged with burglary and theft before the Youth Court and again in August 2017 he re-appeared in the Youth Court on a charge of assault.
“Undoubtedly, the Youth Court did its best to steer you away from the path which you, unfortunately, had already determined to pursue,” said Justice Vaai.
“You served your first imprisonment sentence of 8 months on the 11th March 2019 for burglary and theft with your co-accused. On 03rd May 2019, you and your other co-accused were again sentenced to a further 8 months’ imprisonment, cumulative to the sentence imposed in March, for burglary and theft.
“All your past offendings were committed whilst you were under the influence of liquor, spirits and in the company of others.”
Justice Vaai noted the defendant was again sentenced to prison on the 28th May 2021 to six months, again for burglary and theft which means your present offendings were committed within one month after your release from prison.
Adding the extent of his offending is considerable as he is undoubtedly aware.
“The victim impact report concerning the second burglary charge says the victim is a 67-year-old father who cannot afford to be ripped off or to be deprived of his very limited possession and cannot afford to pay for the repairs to one of the doors to his house which you damaged to gain entrance.
“The issue of reparation is remote or non-existent. You are a menace to society. You have obviously chosen to pursue burglary and theft as your way of life.
“In the interests of society, a custodial sentence as submitted by the Prosecution is inescapable. I consider two years as the appropriate starting point for the burglaries. I uplift that by six months due to your previous convictions.
“My end starting point for burglary is two years and six months imprisonment. Because of the late guilty pleas, you are entitled to credit which I assess at 20% and that is around six months.
“You are convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment for each charge of burglary; to be served concurrently.
On each charge of theft, you are convicted and sentenced to 12 months imprisonment and to be served concurrently with the burglary charges.”
