Justice Cooper sentenced Taniela Vaka, 42, at the Supreme Court in Nuku’alofa to 12 years and 10 months in prison for a string of armed robberies and drug-related crimes in Tonga, citing Vaka’s high risk of reoffending.
The first robbery occurred on November 20, 2023, when Vaka forced a man at knifepoint to drive to ‘Anana before the victim escaped. Stolen items included a car worth $20,000 and groceries valued at $5,782.
The second incident, on January 23, 2024, involved Vaka holding a mother and daughter at knifepoint in their car, stealing cash and threatening retaliation if they reported the crime.
Justice Cooper criticized Vaka’s history of violent crimes, including previous convictions in Tonga and New Zealand, and described him as “a high risk to society.”
Vaka pleaded guilty in June 2024.
