Former Fiji 7s player Amenoni Nasilasila has been released from the Fiji Corrections Service (FCS) facility today.
Nasilasila was fully discharged following the completion of his minimum non-parole period of 6 years set by the High Court and has returned to his home village of Namatakula in Nadroga. Before reaching home, he was also accorded a welcome ceremony at Galoa village in Serua.
Nasilasila was convicted of one count of rape. The offense occurred on December 22, 2018, involving a 24-year-old woman at a settlement in Olosara, Sigatoka.
In September 2019, the High Court in Lautoka convicted Nasilasila after the presiding judge overturned the not guilty opinion of the three assessors and a month later was sentenced to eight years in prison with a non-parole period of six years.
During his time in custody, Nasilasila’s participation in rugby tournaments for the FCS team sparked controversy from women’s rights groups who argued that it undermined the seriousness of his crime.
The FCS defended the participation as part of rehabilitation and reintegration programs.
