A 14-year-old boy has been sentenced to one year in jail by the High Court in Lautoka for raping his three-year-old niece. The boy will serve his sentence at the Juvenile Boys Rehabilitation Centre in Suva.
According to High Court records, the incident occurred in July 2021. In his ruling on June 20, Justice Riyaz Hamza acknowledged the boy’s ambition to become a Navy Officer in Fiji and his commitment to support his family.
“You have submitted that your ambition is to become a Navy Officer in Fiji and support your family,” said Justice Hamza. “You are said to have committed yourself to the spiritual development in your community. You have submitted that you are truly remorseful of your actions and that you are repenting every day for the mistake that you have made.”
The boy assured the court that he will not re-offend and expressed his willingness to reform, having entered a guilty plea at the first opportunity during the proceedings.