Filipe Naikaso 
Josese Muriwaqa (left), Australian national Joseph Abourizk.
Two individuals involved in one of the country’s largest drug bust have been sentenced by the Lautoka High Court today.
Australian national Joseph Abourizk received a substantial sentence of 16 years imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 10 years while taxi driver Josese Muriwaqa was handed a sentence of 15 years, also with a non-parole period of 10 years.
The case dates back to July 13, 2015, when authorities discovered the duo in possession of a staggering 49.9 kilograms of cocaine near Vuda Point in Lautoka, with an estimated value of $15 million.
The gravity of the crime and the potential impact on Fiji as a transit point for drug trafficking led the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to appeal for higher sentences.
After a lengthy legal process, Abourizk and Muriwaqa were convicted and sentenced in 2016, but the DPP sought a harsher penalty of 25 years, with a non-parole period of 20 years.
Today, the court reached its decision, sending a clear message to drug offenders and potential traffickers alike.
Presiding Judge Justice Aruna Aluthge stresses the importance of setting a precedent with these sentences.
He says that the severity of their punishments should serve as a deterrent to others contemplating engaging in similar illicit activities within Fiji’s borders.
The judge also notes that the drugs were highly likely to be transported to another country, highlighting the far-reaching implications of drug trafficking on an international scale.
Judge Aluthge says the sentences imposed on Abourizk and Muriwaqa will serve as a reminder to all that Fiji is determined to safeguard its borders from drug-related activities and protect its citizens from the damaging effects of the drug trade.
