The High Court in Suva has sentenced a man to 16 years and 10 months in prison after he was convicted of raping his stepdaughter. Justice Thushara Rajasinghe presided over the case, which involved three counts of rape, as well as one count each of indecent and sexual assault.
The court established that during several incidents between 2017 and 2018, the man sexually assaulted the victim in their home when she was alone. At the time of the assaults, the complainant was 17 years old.
Initially, the man had pleaded guilty to five counts, but following a trial where three witnesses, including the complainant, testified, he was found guilty on all charges. The verdict was delivered on September 27, but sentencing took place last Friday.
During the sentencing, Justice Rajasinghe emphasized the emotional and psychological trauma experienced by the victim as a result of the abuse. He highlighted the concern that sexual exploitation of children within their homes poses a serious social threat.
The court determined that the stepfather had committed these crimes when the complainant was alone and unable to seek help. It was noted that although he provided for her as a father, he exploited her vulnerability for his sexual gratification.
Even after receiving forgiveness from both the stepdaughter and her mother, the man attempted further assaults whenever the opportunity arose. The court acknowledged his previously good character as a mitigating factor, given his career as a primary school teacher for 30 years.
He will serve his sentence with a non-parole period of 14 years and 10 months. Additionally, a permanent domestic violence restraining order has been placed against him, prohibiting any form of contact with the victim. Violating this order could result in prosecution under the Domestic Violence Act.