Matia Betero was held in custody when he appeared in the Criminal Court in Avarua on Wednesday last week.

Psychiatric assessment

Matia Betero was held in custody when he appeared in the Criminal Court in Avarua on Wednesday last week.

Betero appeared on charges of willful damage, threatening acts and threatening to kill.

While in custody, the defendant was to get a psychiatric assessment.

Betero’s defence lawyer Lavi Rokoika planned to seek bail for her client but the psychiatric assessment had not been done.

Justice of the Peace Georgina Williams adjourned the case for September 30 and Betero returned to custody.

The court heard Rokoika would seek bail when her client next appears. 

Breach of probation

Poanere Mataiti charged with breach of probationary licence was in custody when he appeared in the Criminal Court and entered a guilty plea on Wednesday last week.

Mataiti, 44, had been in custody for a week before he appeared in court. It was the defendant’s second time he appeared for breaching his probation conditions.

The court heard on September 16, Mataiti consumed alcohol, which broke one of his special conditions – not to purchase or consume alcohol.

In court probation staff said Mataiti acted aggressive towards probation officers when confronted and asked for a maximum three month term in prison for the defendant.

Mataiti told the court he was going through “a deep depression” at the time and he truly wanted to apologise for his actions.

Justice of the Peace Georgina Williams said she thought three months custody was too harsh.

JP Williams sentenced Mataiti to another week to spend a total of 14 days in custody, which included his time before he appeared in court.

The JP said the defendant is well known and suffers from alcohol abuse.

“The fact that you’ve breached twice in two years, shows you’re at least trying,” the JP said.

Mataiti completed a five-week drug and alcohol course. JP Williams told the defendant, “if you feel like you are going to get off the bandwagon, ring them up and ask for help.”