Apenisa Waqairadovu 
A mother stepped in to save her son from a jail term in the Suva Magistrates Court this morning.
28-year-old Usaia Totovuto had stolen two bottles of wine worth $20 from a Suva supermarket and was in court for sentencing.
Magistrate Yogesh Prasad initially fined him $400, warning that failure to pay would result in jail.
During the hearing, Totovuto asked the court to allow his mother to get the money. She returned with only $100, and with Totovuto explaining it was all she could afford.
The Magistrate urged Totovuto to consider the impact of his actions, noting that his mother was left to pay for his crime.
He then reduced the fine to $100 and handed Totovuto a 12-month suspended sentence.
Totovuto must not reoffend for five years, or he will face jail time.
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