A 44-year-old subsistence farmer has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for the sexual assault and rape of his teenage daughter. The case was heard in the High Court in Suva, where it was disclosed that the victim is the eldest daughter of the accused and was living with him, her mother, and five siblings.
The abuse began in December 2017 when the victim was approximately 15 years old and alone at home with her father. In early 2018, when she was about 16, she was awakened by her father touching her inappropriately, and she responded by pushing him away.
After one incident, the victim’s mother inquired if anything had happened. Upon learning the details, she was devastated and confronted the accused, who subsequently apologized and promised to cease his abusive behavior.
Although the sexual assaults temporarily stopped, they resumed in 2020 and occurred frequently thereafter, including instances of digital rape. A medical examination conducted on February 13, 2021, revealed that the victim’s hymen was no longer intact, indicating blunt force trauma consistent with sexual abuse.
Justice Pita Bulamainaivalu condemned the accused’s actions, describing them as “incestuous and heinous” and a grave betrayal of trust. He emphasized that a home should be a place where children feel safe and nurtured, free from any form of abuse. He noted that the offenses were not isolated incidents but rather a pattern of continued sexual molestation.
Despite the accused’s apologies to his daughter, wife, and mother, Justice Bulamainaivalu said the ongoing abuse demonstrated a lack of genuine remorse and accountability on the part of the accused.