A pastor has been found guilty by the High Court in Lautoka for sexually assaulting his then 15-year-old niece. The verdict, delivered on November 11, includes two counts of indecent assault as well as one count each of rape and sexual assault. The incidents took place over two days, four years ago, at the pastor’s home in Rakiraki, while his wife was away taking their son to school.
The first assault occurred when the victim requested that her uncle take her to visit a cousin in Ba. Instead, he took her to Lautoka under the pretense of meeting a mechanic. During this encounter, the mechanic arrived with a carton of beer, leading to a situation where the victim fell asleep in the vehicle. Upon waking, she found her uncle assaulting her while the mechanic, having witnessed the event, failed to intervene. The victim managed to escape only after she fought back, incapacitating her uncle.
During the trial, Justice Aruna Aluthge dismissed the defense’s arguments, stating that the evidence presented did not convince him of the complainant’s dishonesty and criticized the accused’s inconsistent testimony.
This case underscores the ongoing struggle against sexual violence and highlights the importance of believing and supporting survivors. There is hope that the legal outcome will encourage other victims to come forward and seek justice, reinforcing that they will be heard and that perpetrators will be held accountable.
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