A 32-year-old man has been acquitted on charges of allegedly raping his partner.

This is after three assessors found the accused not guilty at the Labasa High Court this week.

Consequently, Judge Justice Temo said he accepted the three assessors’ opinion and he found the accused not guilty as charged and acquitted him accordingly.

It was alleged that the man raped his partner following an argument on August 14, 2016.

The court heard that the two were in a relationship since 2008.

In 2016 they were living together.

The complainant who is a lawyer by profession wrote letters to the Labasa High Court and Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) stating her complaint.

Judge Justice Temo said those were considered and it introduced numerous doubts into the complainant’s own allegations.

The court heard that the effect of the letters were such that it effectively neutralised the complainant’s case.

Also while the case was pending, the complainant openly went to see the accused and even stayed with him.

He said the complainant knew a Domestic Violence Restraining Order (DVRO) was in existence and she was not allowed to be in contact with the accused.

Judge Justice Temo said in his view, the letters to the high court and the DPP and non-adherence to DVRO cast a lot of doubts into the prosecution’s case.

He then said the benefit of that doubt must go to the accused.

Edited by Mohammed Zulfikar

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