A Police Constable charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition is scheduled for sentencing in the District Court on Friday.

Shrikrishna Schwenke appeared before District Court Judge, Leota Raymond Schuster, on Wednesday for a Disputed Summary of Facts Hearing. Schwenke was charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition.

The charges revolve around a .38 special pistol revolver, ammunition for a 9 millimeter handgun and a .38 Special pistol placed in the possession of Police.

At the center of the Disputed Summary of Facts hearing were two issues: 1) Did Faalavaau Perina Sila give the pistol to the former Police Transnational Crime Unit (T.C.U.) Head Ituau Ale? and 2) Did Ituau give the gun to Schwenke?

The Court heard that the .38 Special was given to Ituau  in 2015 when the country was hosting the international Small Islands Developing States (S.I.D.S.) conference.

The complainant in the matter, Ale, took the witness stand on Wednesday as a prosecution witness. The defendant and then Acting Police Commissioner Talalelei Tapu also took the stand.

Judge Leota heard the arguments and set sentencing for Schwenke for Friday 31 July 2020.

The prosecutor lawyer Iliganoa Atoa of the Office of the Attorney General. The defence lawyer is Mauga Precious Chang.