Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, John Rabuku says the sentences handed to Justin Ho and 8 others in the $2 billion methamphetamine bust case was expected to a certain extent.
Rabuku says that when they were making their sentencing submissions, the Lautoka High Court Judge Justice Aruna Aluthge had indicated that he would not only take into account the quantity of the drugs, but also the level of culpability.
He says each of the accused played a role in the drug importation.
The Deputy DPP says he believes this is probably the highest or the most severe sentence ever passed for drug offending.
He says for mastermind Justin Ho, the court ordered a term of life imprisonment with a non-parole period of 30 years, before categorising down to the other accused persons.
Rabuku says his role as a prosecutor is to present the evidence in all its fairness, and that is the role his team played.
He says that the message sent out from a successful prosecution like this is that Fiji does have the enforcement power, the prosecutorial know-how and skills, and a judiciary that is mindful of the facts, the work of drug cartels across the world, and their transnational impacts on vulnerable communities like those in the Pacific.
He says while Fiji does not have a perfect system, even more advanced countries that have tried to fight the drug trade have faced setbacks.
Rabuku further says that because the drug trade involves a lot of money, everyone is vulnerable in some way, and at some stage someone can be bought.
The State Counsel adds that Fiji is a vulnerable, small island state and if countries like America, Australia and New Zealand face these challenges daily in trying to fight the drug trade, Fiji is much more vulnerable as a small Pacific island nation that largely depends on aid.
Meanwhile, mastermind Justin Ho has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a non parole period of 30 years, David Heritage has been sentenced to 55 years with non parole period of 25 years and Jale Aukerea has been sentenced to 50 years with non parole period of 25 years.
Louie Logaivau has been sentenced to 25 years and non parole period of 18 years and Sakiusa Tuva has been sentenced to 25 years with non parole period of 18 years.
Ratu Aporosa Davelevu has been sentenced to 18 years with a non parole period of 12 years, Cathy Tuirabe has been sentenced to 15 years and a non parole period of 14 years, Ratu Osea Levula has been sentenced to 17 years and a non parole period of 13 years while Viliame Colawaliku has been sentenced to 15 years and a non parole period of 12 years.
While delivering the sentence, Justice Aluthge said this case is not just a run-of-the-mill matter, as it involves more than 4.1 tonnes of methamphetamine, making it a difficult task to sentence all nine accused.
Justice Aluthge says this is the largest drug bust in the Pacific.
All nine have been convicted of the importation and possession of 4.1 tonnes of methamphetamine, worth $2 billion, between November 2023 and January 2024 in Nadi.
