A man has been prohibited from drinking alcohol in prohibited places within the Tavua Town boundary for the next 15 months.
Resident Magistrate Timoci Qalinauci imposed the order on Setareki Naeqe at the Tavua Magistrates’ Court on August 10 after convicting him of drinking liquor in a prohibited place and disobedience of a lawful order.
Naeqe pleaded guilty to both charges.
According to the agreed facts, the Tavua Magistrates’ Court had previously ordered Naeqe on October 27, 2025, not to drink alcohol in Tavua Town for 12 months.
However, on August 7 this year, police officers conducting a beat patrol saw Naeqe standing on a footpath beside the Tavualevu public toilet drinking a glass of rum and cola.
The court heard that when police approached him, Naeqe ran towards the village before being chased and arrested.
Magistrate Qalinauci said Naeqe had disregarded the earlier court order.
“The court denounces your offending for the disregard of the court order,” he said.
The magistrate also noted that Naeqe had previous convictions, including two previous cases of drinking liquor in a prohibited place.
“You are a recidivist of similar offence of Count 1,” Magistrate Qalinauci said.
Naeqe was sentenced to two months imprisonment for drinking liquor in a prohibited place and four months for disobedience of a lawful order. The sentences will run concurrently, giving him an effective four-month prison term.
In addition, Magistrate Qalinauci imposed a new 15-month restriction.
The court ordered Naeqe “not to drink liquor, wine or spirit in a prohibited place” within the Tavua Town boundary for the next 15 months.
The magistrate warned that breaching the order could result in Naeqe being charged again with disobedience of a lawful order under the Crimes Act 2009.
Naeqe has 28 days to appeal to the High Court.
