Man jailed 13 years for child rape at church premises

A 54-year-old security watchman was sentenced to 13 years and nine months imprisonment for the digital rape of a four-year-old girl at a Suva church premises.

The offender was convicted following the incident that occurred on March 2 at the premises in Waimanu Road, where he worked as a watchman.

The High Court in Suva yesterday heard the victim had wandered into the basement after attending a church service with her parents and siblings when the assault took place.

The court was told the victim’s 13-year-old sister discovered the offender performing oral sex on the child after her parents noticed she was missing and asked the sister to look for her.

Justice Daniel Goundar said the circumstances were deeply disturbing as the victim was attending a church service at a location where the offender was trusted to provide security.

The court heard when the parents confronted the offender in the basement, he denied any wrongdoing but was escorted to the police station where both parents and the arresting officer testified he smelled strongly of alcohol.

At trial, the court rejected the offender’s defence that the victim had fabricated the allegation because he refused to give her money when she approached him.

Justice Goundar noted aggravating factors including the victim’s extreme vulnerability due to her age, the 50-year age gap between accused and victim, that he was allegedly intoxicated, and that another child was exposed to the sexual act.

The judge said the only meaningful mitigating factor was the offender’s previously good character, noting he showed little remorse and disturbingly attempted to blame the four-year-old victim.

The offender was sentenced with a non-parole period of 11 years.