A farmer convicted for the assault of a 12-year-old boy was handed a suspended sentence by the Suva Magistrates Court yesterday.

Uraia Bakele, who is in his 50s was sentenced to nine months imprisonment, suspended for four years.

Bakele pleaded guilty appeared before Magistrate Kashyapa Wickramasekara.

He was charged with one count of assault causing actual bodily harm.

Bakele committed the act to a 12-year-old student on January 2, 2015, in Waiqanake Village in Lami.

The court heard that the farmer without provocation assaulted the student, who was standing in the dark with a piece of timber.

Earlier on the same date, an unknown person had thrown water on Bakele and escaped.

The court heard that Bakele shone his hand-held torch on the student, thinking that he was the same person responsible for throwing water at him earlier.

He then threw a piece of timber at the student, causing injuries to his back.

Bakele asked for forgiveness from the student and his mother in court yesterday.