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]
Listed for context. No score change is recorded for Kiribati here.
References
- Forgotten Prisoner — Kiribati: man gets 18 months, suspended, and a $600 fine for two cannabis plants (15 October 2026)Sentence 23 December 2025; two plants; 18 months suspended; A$600 fine.
- PacLII — High Court of Kiribati, 2025/79 (Criminal Case 00313 of 2025)Primary judgment; blocked by Cloudflare in this review.
Checked. The date and the event were compared with a source that was read.