A man who transported the Nakasi nine-year-old rape victim to the police station broke his silence yesterday.

“This was the most horrific incident that has happened in this area. It’s the first of its kind,” he said.

He said he was still living in fear and did not want to be identified and have his photograph taken.

But he spoke out in the hope that it would help public understanding of the severity of this case. He said he also hoped that this case would be solved soon to bring a closure to the family, relatives and many people emotionally affected by it.

One week ago today on that fateful Tuesday, he recalled he was home, not far from the victim’s house, when he was approached by her mother.

The victim’s mother came to him asking for help. She was with the badly injured girl.

He said his house was not far from their home.

“The girl’s face was swollen and her eyes almost closed. The blood was coming from her mouth and she seemed lost,” he said.

“Without any hesitation I helped them and took them to police station in my car,” he said.

On the way there the victim explained to him that one of the suspects was wearing a white vest, he said.

He said when they got to the police station, they lodged a report.

“Then the police followed us to  the crime scene,” he said. The crime scene is several metres from the road in the bushes.

He said when they stopped on the road, police asked the girl to come with them to the crime scene. But she was so scared and didn’t want to go.

“I saw the girl was bleeding, so I took her back to the police station. I asked police officers to arrange a transport for her to be taken to hospital because I had to go for my drop off.”

The incident had caused fear among girls and parents in Nakasi, he said.

He said: “My sister is very scared and for one week she didn’t even go to school.”

He said parents had chosen to stay at home and look after their children instead of going to work.

A member of the family visited the Fiji Sun yesterday to accept an offer of financial assistance from a Canadian Fijian, Vishal Kumar. Mr Kumar said he was shocked and saddened after reading the Fiji Sun report on the sex attack. He said he was willing to help the family, especially the victim.

The girl is in a stable condition at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva.

Police investigations are continuing.

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