Former police officers jailed for raping teen while on patrol duty
State counsel Kotoilakeba said the victim continues to experience anxiety when visiting Fiji.
Friday 24 July 2026 | 17:00
Two police officers who raped a 17-year-old girl while on patrol duty in Savusavu last year have been sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment.
Shratika Naidu
Two former police officers who raped a 17-year-old girl while on patrol duty in Savusavu last year have been jailed for 15 years, with a non-parole period of nine years and 10 months.
The men, aged 25 and 33, were each convicted of one count of rape and appeared before Justice Lee James Burney in the High Court in Labasa on Friday for sentencing.
The court heard that on the night of April 12, 2025, the officers ordered the teenager into their police vehicle before driving her to a secluded area, where they raped her in the back seat. They later drove her home.
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Evidence before the court also revealed that the offenders later returned to the victim’s family home with her uncle and drank grog with the family.
The officers were represented by Legal Aid Commission lawyers Angeline Sumer and Viliame Savou.
In sentencing, Justice Burney stressed that rape carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and highlighted the serious breach of trust involved in the case.
The victim told the court she entered the police vehicle because she trusted the police uniform.
Justice Burney said the offenders had exploited that trust and abused their authority, bringing disgrace to the uniform they wore.
“You have also broken the trust that the public are entitled to have in police officers,” Justice Burney said.
“There is a very real danger that you have further undermined public trust and confidence in the Police, which may have serious implications for operational effectiveness.”
The judge also found that the officers’ decision to return to the victim’s home and socialise with her family after the attack was a cynical attempt to evade responsibility.
He said their actions undoubtedly compounded the harm suffered by the victim and her family.
In sentencing submissions, State counsel Epeli Kotoilakeba said the victim continues to experience anxiety when visiting Fiji following the incident.
Justice Burney said the sentence was intended to send a clear message that severe punishment awaits those who abuse positions of authority and public trust to commit serious sexual offences.
The pair has 30 days to appeal to the Court of Appeal.
Caption: The two police officers are escorted from the Labasa Courthouse on April 25, 2025. Photo: Shratika Naidu.
