Fruitful tour of police and magistrate to Utupua and Vanikoro islands

Three adult male persons have been ordered to pay fines during a police and magistrate tour to Utupua and Vanikoro islands in Temotu Province recently.

Provincial Police Commander (PPC) of Temotu Province, Superintendent James Toaki explains: “The tour was from 21 – 31 October 2019 when two of my officers and a magistrate from Lata travelled to Utupua and Vanikoro islands on a court circuit.”

“Two men were convicted on Vanikoro Island for criminal trespass and threatening violence, with a fine of $1,000.00 and restriction of making liquor with a fine of $700.00. A third man on Utupua islands was ordered by the presiding magistrate to pay a fine of $1,000.00 for criminal trespass and threatening violence,” says PPC Toaki.

“During the visit, the team conducted awareness talks to communities’ visited on those two islands. The topics covered for the awareness talk were: illegal drug like marijuana, illegal brewing of alcohol, domestic violence offences under the Family Protection Act 2014, and public order offences including offences against persons.”

PPC Toaki thanks the team for their good work and thank the communities on those two islands for their support during the visit.

“The positive outcome of the tour shows a good spirit of working together by police and the Magistrates’ Court in Lata. Police would like to thank the resident Magistrate in Lata for assisting with the community awareness. The communities in Temotu are urged to work together with each other for a safer, peaceful and crime free Temotu, so that people may go about doing their normal daily activities without fear,” says PPC Toaki

RSIPF in Temotu Province hopes to continue similar tours to other islands in Temotu Province in the near future.