Kiribati suspends a prison sentence for two cannabis plants
Tom Utimawa pleaded guilty to cultivating Indian hemp after police found two plants in his backyard and dried leaves in his sleeping hut. The High Court sentenced him on 23 December 2025 to 18 months in prison suspended for two years and a A$600 fine. The primary judgment was blocked; the details come from a case summary.
๐ฐ๐ฎ Kiribati
Tom Utimawa pleaded guilty to cultivating Indian hemp after police found two plants in his backyard and dried leaves in his sleeping hut. The High Court sentenced him on 23 December 2025 to 18 months in prison suspended for two years and a A$600 fine. The primary judgment was blocked; the details come from a case summary.[1][2]
Sources
- Kiribati: man gets 18 months, suspended, and a $600 fine for two cannabis plants (15 October 2026). Forgotten Prisoner. Sentence 23 December 2025; two plants; 18 months suspended; A$600 fine..
- High Court of Kiribati, 2025/79 (Criminal Case 00313 of 2025). PacLII. Primary judgment; blocked by Cloudflare in this review..