A 27-year-old man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for blackmailing and sexually assaulting his 13-year-old nephew, with a non-parole period set at eight years. The convict, a salesman, faced the charges stemming from incidents that occurred between 2020 and 2021 in Sigatoka.
Court documents reveal that the man recorded a video of the boy while he was bathing and used it as a tool for coercion. He threatened to release the video on social media and to kill the boy if he did not comply with his demands. The accused lived with the victim in Korotogo for educational purposes, sharing a room where several assaults took place, utilizing the same blackmail tactic two to three times a week. The High Court in Lautoka, presided over by Justice Aruna Aluthge, handed down the sentence.
In a related case, a 40-year-old man was sentenced to 14 years and five months for sexually violating his nine-year-old stepdaughter, with an 11-year non-parole period. He was found guilty of two counts of rape and sexual assault by Justice Daniel Goundar at the High Court in Suva. This offender had been in a de facto relationship with the girl’s mother and has a history of offenses, including attempted rape.
Both cases emphasize a disturbing trend of sexual violence against minors. The sentences, delivered on November 28, reflect the judiciary’s stance on such serious offenses and aim to deter similar acts in the future, offering a glimmer of hope for tighter enforcement against child abuse.
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