The High Court in Suva has sentenced a man to nearly 14 years in prison for various sexual offenses, including sexual assault and rape. The defendant was presented before Justice Pita Bulamainaivalu on Wednesday.
He was found guilty of three counts of sexual assault and two counts of rape, both in violation of the Crimes Act 2009. The offenses occurred at Naikawaga Village in Tailevu, Eastern Division, with sexual assaults happening between June and December 2020, and incidents of rape occurring from January to December 2018, where the victim was penetrated without consent.
The Court noted that the accused pleaded guilty to all five charges. Justice Bulamainaivalu announced a non-parole period of 12 years, in accordance with the Sentencing and Penalties Act and the Supreme Court ruling in a related case. The defendant has a 30-day window to appeal the sentence.