Luganville: eight months immediate for 135 g of cannabis in a taxi
Police in Luganville found 135 g of marijuana in Bakon Etul's basket during a traffic stop on 22 May 2026. The Supreme Court at Luganville on 18 September 2026 jailed him for eight months immediately, treating him as a fourth-time offender despite his guilty plea.
On 22 May 2026, police on patrol in the Sanlaet area of Luganville, Santo, stopped a
black taxi that was blocking traffic and searched it.[1]They found marijuana in a
black basket belonging to Bakon Etul, also known as Bakon Embulu, and arrested him.[1]Forensic tests on 9 June 2026 confirmed 135 g of marijuana.[1]
Etul pleaded guilty on 18 September 2026 before Justice Dudley Aru.[1]The court
set a 15-month starting point, cut it for his early guilty plea and time on remand,
then added six months because he was a fourth-time offender, including a 2008
cannabis cultivation conviction.[1]
The end sentence was eight months in prison to be served immediately.[1]
Case data
Every number and detail the sources state, with the sources that state it.
Seles Stephen Rokasia pleaded guilty after police searched his Chapuis home in Luganville on 6 March 2026 and found 45.34 g of cannabis for personal use. The Supreme Court at Luganville on 18 September 2026 ordered twelve months’ supervision with a drug programme and 100 hours of community work, and forfeited the drugs for destruction.
Taho Bong was sentenced at Port Vila on 9 July 2026 to five months in prison, fully suspended for twelve months with fifty hours of community work, after pleading guilty to possessing 79.89 g of cannabis found when police broke up a disturbance on 25 December 2021.
Rota Tari pleaded guilty on 19 May 2026 to possessing 119 g of cannabis found when police searched her room at Blacksands on 25 September 2021. On 3 July 2026 Justice Josaia Naigulevu sentenced her to three months in prison, fully suspended for six months, after a long delay since the search.
Tino Johnas pleaded guilty to possessing 1.83 g of cannabis after a police search in Freshwota 4 in 2022. The Supreme Court sentenced him on 1 April 2026 to complete 50 hours of community work within 12 months.