[Photo: File]

An Australian national has been sentenced to 21 years and three months in prison for possessing more than one kilogram of cocaine.

High Court judge Justice Sunil Sharma imposed the aggregate sentence on Bainivalu Sauturaga after finding him guilty of two counts of unlawful possession of illicit drugs.

The court also ordered a non-parole period of 17 years.

Sauturaga was arrested in February 2024 after police found 7.937 grams of cocaine in a black twin cab at Saweni Cemetery.

Police later searched Room 6 at Western Boarding Service, also known as Sadiq’s Apartment, using a room key found inside the vehicle.

A K9 detected something inside a travelling bag in the room.

Police found a package wrapped in a black rubber pouch containing 1.02 kilograms of cocaine.tr

Judge Sharma placed the offending in Category Five of Fiji’s drug sentencing tariff, which applies to quantities exceeding one kilogram.

He took 20 years as the starting point, then added three years for aggravating factors, including commercial supply, the prevalence of drug offending, potential harm to society, and planning and concealment.

The judge noted the vehicle was displaying a registration number belonging to another vehicle, which he said was an attempt to avoid detection.

He also considered Sauturaga’s personal circumstances and deducted one year and six months for his good character and other mitigation.

A further three months was deducted for the time already spent in remand.

Judge Sharma said the sentence must reflect the serious harm caused by illicit drugs and serve as a deterrent.

He said society is weary of drug cases rearing their ugly head time and again and that the menace must be curtailed sooner rather than later.

The court also noted thet the offender maintained his innocence despite being convicted.

Judge Sharma said those submissions would not be held against him and that he would be sentenced only on the offending proved in court.

Sauturaga, who is 27 and unemployed was raised by a single parent.

He has 30 days to appeal the sentence to the Court of Appeal.