POLICE prosecution has sought a consecutive prison sentence for former lawyer Shazran Abdul Lateef following his guilty plea to drug possession and breach of bail conditions.
The 65-year-old appeared before Magistrate Lisiate Fotofili yesterday after admitting to possessing 1.8 grams of methamphetamine and 4.0 grams of marijuana on December 10, 2019, alongside breaching his bail conditions.
Lateef is currently serving a 44-month prison sentence for a separate 2019 incident involving the unlawful possession of 9.5 grams of methamphetamine and 3.5 grams of marijuana at a Suva hotel.
Defence lawyer Joji Cakau requested a fine or a suspended sentence, citing Lateef’s age, procedural delays in the case, and arguing that his client was merely a user rather than a trader.
Police prosecutor Inspector Jone Tupua, however, argued a consecutive sentence is necessary for deterrence. He requested a minimum term of two and a half years for the meth count, asking that the sentences for the marijuana and breach of bail counts run concurrently to the main charge, but consecutively to his current sentence.
Insp Tupua said a concurrent term would result in no additional punishment for a distinct criminal act, emphasising that those who commit crimes must serve the corresponding time.
Lateef will be sentenced on September 22.
