A 58-year-old man of Nadali in Nausori has been sentenced to 21 years in prison for raping a 8-year-old girl over a period of three and half years.
In sentencing the man, Justice C Prematilaka ruled that 21 years was deserving for five counts of rape and two attempted rape charges.
“Having considered section 4 (1) of the Sentencing and Penalties Act and the serious nature of the offences committed on the victim who was the your virtual step-daughter aged between 8-11 years compels me to state that the purpose of this sentence is to punish you in a manner that is just in all the circumstances, protect the community, deter like-minded offenders and to clearly manifest that the court and the community denounce what you did to the complainant between for 3 ½ years and in a manner which is just in all the circumstances of the case.”
In 2017, when the child was seven years old, her mother had given her over to an older sister and her husband as she was unemployed. The perpetrator is the husband of the child’s aunt.
Over the 3 and half years the child was repeatedly abused and raped in the home when the duo were alone and sometimes with the children of the perpetrator around.The court heard that the victim would be made to watch pornographic videos and ordered to repeat what she had seen on the perpetrator.
“You are manipulative; you are somewhat of a sexual predator of prepubescent children to some extent; you are dangerous. The public and in particular young females and prepubescent children need protection from you,” Justice Prematilaka said as he handed down the ruling.
“On the one hand this is a case which would justify a long ‘denunciatory’ sentence. I bear in mind that, such a sentence is one of last resort. However, in the circumstances of this offending in my judgment, justice and protection of the public can and should be achieved by such a very long sentence.”
