Farmer Handed 13 Years Sentence for Raping Teenage Niece
The court heard the victim was 14 years old and living with the accused’s family when the first incident occurred.
Thursday 18 January 2024 | 11:08
A 50-year-old man, accused of raping a girl over a span of five years since 2016, was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment.
The non-parole period is 12 years and six months.
The accused was sentenced on Tuesday after appearing before Judge Justice Thushara Kumarage. The farmer from the maritime zone was charged with 16 counts of rape.
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The court heard the victim was 14 years old and living with the accused’s family when the first incident occurred.
Justice Kumarage said sometimes around May and August, 2016, when the accused’s wife and child were asleep, the accused had walked in the house and saw the victim still awake.
The court heard the victim was scared to tell anyone about the incident because she feared for her life.
On three separate occasions, the accused took her to the same spot, which was a bush area outdoors and gave her $10.
On January 7, 2021, the village chief got word of the incident after a villager noticed the uncle communicating with the niece to meet somewhere. The chief asked the victim about it.
Prosecution highlighted that the accused had taken advantage of the vulnerability of an innocent victim who was inclined to faithfully follow instructions.
And the accused had betrayed and exploited the victim’s vulnerability by committing this act for over a period of five years.
The mitigating factors as eluded by Justice Kumarage include the accused entering an early guilty plea and that he regretted his action.
The accused was also supportive during police investigation after he was arrested.
The accused has 30 days to file an appeal at the Fiji Courts of Appeal.
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