A man who had been drinking alcohol and taking methamphetamine while driving his car which was involved in a fatal road accident has been convicted by the Tonga Supreme Court.
Siuta Tāufa was convicted of causing death by dangerous driving.
Kaniva News reports around 11.30pm on 3 July 20221, Taufa was driving his car with Uikilifi Lapu’aho as his passenger.
The two men went from Vaini to Tatakamotonga where Lapu’aho bought a bottle of liquor.
They mixed the alcohol and drank it while returning to Vaini.
Taufa drove fast to get home before the lockdown curfew at midnight.
The court heard he lost control of the car and hit a power pole near Malapo village.
A prison warden at Hu’atolitoli prison across the road alerted police at Vaini about the accident and Tāufa and Lapu’aho were rushed to Vaiola Hospital where Lapu’aho died a few hours later.
Police found cash $1176 and two packs of methamphetamine and 47 empty packs in the car.
A statement by Tāufa was read in court. He was apologetic and said,” How I feel about this charge I feel really repentant at what has happened. And I feel sorry for the one who has died. Because I did not intend that anything like that would happen.”
Justice Niu said,“I am satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the accused drove his car at a speed and in a manner which in the circumstances were dangerous to the public and that it caused the death of the passenger in the car, Uikilifi Lapu’aho.
“Accordingly, I find that the accused, Siuta Taufa, is guilty of the offence of dangerous driving causing death with which he is charged in count 1 of his indictment and I convict him of that.
I also confirm that I have convicted the accused, Siuta Taufa, of the offence of possessing 0.08 gram of methamphetamine, with which he is charged in count 2 of his indictment”.