A man was found guilty by the High Court in Lautoka last Friday for the rape of a hearing and speech impaired girl in 2020. He faced charges related to four counts of rape stemming from incidents that took place on December 15, 2020, in Nadi, and was convicted on two of those counts.
Court documents revealed that the victim was waiting for transportation to go home when the accused offered her a ride in his vehicle. He then made inappropriate advances while allegedly threatening her with a rod. The assaults occurred in Wailoaloa and at a hotel in Votualevu. Justice Sunil Sharma indicated that the court determined the accused either knew or believed that the victim was not consenting, or was indifferent to her lack of consent at the time of the incidents.