ODPP MEDIA UPDATE ODPP Rape and Sexual Offences Statistics – February 2018

The following data is authorised for release by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) and relates to the number of formal indictments (Information) filed in the High Courts of Fiji by the Director of Public Prosecutions throughout the month.

This data is confined to incidents of serious sexual offences only.

There were 29 people charged with a total of 48 counts of separate incidents in February. The offences were rape (36), attempted rape (1), abduction with intent to have carnal knowledge (2), assault with intent to rape (1), indecent assault (1), defilement (1) and sexual assault (6).

Five accused persons charged with rape offences were under the age of 18 years. There were 26 victims of the 48 separate incidents of whom 14 victims were under the age of 18 years. There were 12 incidents where the victims and the accused were related to one another. In one incident a 59-year-old church pastor was charged with rape and sexual assault of his 16- year-old niece, however this matter was discontinued after the victim could not be located.

There were three separate incidents where stepfathers were charged with rape and attempted rape of their stepdaughters. In one incident a 38-year-old man was charged with the rape of his 19-year-old stepdaughter and in another matter a 30-year-old man was charged with two counts of rape of his 22-year old stepdaughter while another 38-year-old man was charged with attempted rape of his 13- year-old stepdaughter. He was also charged with one count of abduction.

There were three separate incidents where uncles were charged with rapes of their nieces and nephew.

Two 17-year-old men were charged with rape of their 6 and 8-year-old nieces while a 23-year-old man was charged with rape of his 15-year-old nephew. A 33-year-old man who was earlier charged with rape and sexual assault of his 4-year-old stepsister was additionally charged with another count of sexual assault of the same victim.

There was one incident where a 24-year-old man was charged with the rape of his 17-year-old cousin. There were two incidents of marital rape. In one of the two incidents, the husband was also charged with assault, criminal intimidation and breach of DVRO.

(NB: The offences of assault criminal intimidation and breach of DVRO are recorded separately). There was one incident of gang rape where four accused persons were charged with the rape of an 11-year-old girl. Fourteen other suspects who allegedly raped the same victim on multiple occasions are still at large. In another incident an 18-year-old man was charged with the rape of a 24-year-old female whereby two other suspects in this case are still at large.

There was one incident where a 45-year-old church usher was charged with rape and indecent assault of a 12-year-old girl. The alleged incident occurred on church premises in Lami. There was one incident where a 37-year-old woman was allegedly raped by a 26-year-old man during a break-in. The accused is also charged with aggravated robbery and burglary.

(NB: The offences of aggravated robbery and burglary are recorded separated).

There was one incident where a 43-year-old New Zealander was allegedly raped by a 29-year old man on a yacht and in another incident a 21-year-old female was allegedly raped by a 26- year-old man at a hotel in the Western Division.

The accused in this case was also charged with theft. (NB: The offence of theft is recorded separately). Four cases were withdrawn after discontinuances (Nolle Prosequi) were filed. One of the cases was discontinued due to a false complaint and the other three were discontinued due to insufficient evidence and the victims not being located. Refer to the table entitled ODPP Rape and Sexual Offences February 2018 for a break-down of these statistics.

* Please note that a number of rape victims as well as victims under the age of 18 years and victims in domestic relationship were also victims of other serious sexual offences.Similarly, a number of accused persons were also charged with more than one offence. The same applies to the number of Nolle Prosequi and domestic cases.