$4000 Fine For Arms, Ammo Possession
A68-year-old man of Savusavu was fined $4000 by the Magistrates Court in Savusavu after he was convicted of possession of arms and ammunition. Magistrate Cama Tuberi imposed the fine on Nico Kuyt on Monday.
Kuyt was charged with one count of possession of arms and ammunition without licence, one count of import of arms and ammunition without licence and one count of failure to declare arms and ammunition on importation. On December 25, 2017, in Savusavu, a team of police officers visited Kuyt’s house after receiving information that he had arms and ammunition at his residence.
After talking with the officers, Kuyt voluntarily surrended cartridges containing 30 9mm live ammunition, a Beretta USA pistol model MOD 92DCAL 9mm parabellum brand handgun and a pistol cleaning rod. Kuyt brought these arms and ammunition on his arrival in Fiji in 2009. He was interviewed under caution where he admitted the allegations.
The maximum penalty for possession of arms and ammunition without licence is a $50,000 fine or five years imprisonment. The maximum penalty for import of arms and ammunition without licence is $100,000 fine or 10 years imprisonment. The maximum penalty for failure to declare arms and ammunition on importation is $50,000 fine or five years imprisonment.
In the sentence, Magistrate Tuberi considered the facts and all the circumstances of the case and came to a decision that the appropriate sentence to be imposed was the payment of fine.
He also noted that the defence counsel had submitted in court that Kuyt could pay fine because he still had an overseas bond of $10,000 at the court registry.
For the first count of possession of arms and ammunition without licence, Kuyt was fined $1000. For the second count of import of arms and ammunition without licence, Kuyt was fined $2000. For the third count of failure to declare arms and ammunition on importation, Kuyt was fined $1000.
Magistrate Tuberi told the man that the total fine of $4000 was to be paid within 28 days, in default for six weeks imprisonment. The court also ordered if the cash bond of $10,000 was still with the Savusavu Court registry, the fine of $4000 was to be deducted from the cash bond and the balance of $6000 to be refunded to Kuyt within reasonable time.