A witness in the case of a former Police officer charged with rape, said that the victim had asked her if Police officers could harass a daughter of a fellow Police officer.

Charge: Michael Shalendra  Pratap is alleged to have raped a 16-year-old girl in Suva on January 22, 2016.

Prosecution Witness 2: Teresia Vakanu, a civilian staff at the Nasova Medical Clinic.

Ms Vakanu, during examination -in-chief by the state prosecutor, told the court that she met the victim when the victim had visited a health centre on February 2, 2016, complaining of a severe headache and body ache.

She further said after referring the victim to a male nurse, she was given an injection and was told to rest.

It was further mentioned in court that the victim had again approached Ms Vakanu that day during her tea break, and asked her if a Police officer was allowed to harass another Police officer’s daughter.

Ms Vakanu asked the victim what she meant.

She said the victim revealed that a Police officer working would call her every time she went to school or to the shop.

She identified him as the officer that had a green car which had the words ‘Archangel Michael’ written on it.

She further said the victim had informed her that the officer had been harassing her for some time and had asked her once to get into his car to which she had said no.

Further, it was said in court that the victim told Ms Vakanu that on a separate occasion, the accused, Pratap, had pulled her, tied her hands, dragged her into a gym and then raped her.

When she screamed, he closed her mouth and told her if she screamed, he would rape her again or do something bad to her.

There was also evidence given by Ms Vakanu that when her daughter and the victim were in school one day, Pratap had gone to her school with fish and chips and juice saying that her father had sent it for her, which the victim did not accept as she thought that something was mixed in the juice.

The victim also told Ms Vakanu according to her testimony, that one day when she went past the store, Pratap was inside the store wearing a vest and nothing at the bottom and was calling her.

Ms Vakanu had witnessed once that while her daughter and the victim were walking to school, Pratap had called her from beside a container behind the gym and the victim went to Pratap. However, she does not know what had happened on that day between them.

During cross examination, defence lawyer, Mohammed Yunus, had asked Ms Vakanu if the victim had mentioned Pratap’s name, to which she replied saying that the victim had only identified his car.

The trial continues today.

Edited by Jonathan Bryce

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