A former primary school teacher has been sentenced to 16 years and 10 months in prison after being convicted of repeatedly raping his 13-year-old stepdaughter. The defendant, who has over 30 years of teaching experience and is also a church leader, was found guilty of three counts of rape, one count of sexual assault, and one count of indecent assault, all occurring between 2017 and 2018.
In the High Court in Suva, Justice Thushara Rajasinghe stated, “You had meticulously executed this crime when the complainant was alone and/or unable to escape or seek assistance.” The judge noted that the man abused his authority within the family to fulfill his disturbing sexual desires, referencing his actions as a form of emotional extortion that exploited the victim’s vulnerability.
Justice Rajasinghe highlighted that despite being initially forgiven by the complainant and her mother, the defendant attempted to assault her again when the opportunity arose. He emphasized the urgent need to confront the societal issue of child sexual exploitation within domestic settings, calling for effective measures to address the stigma surrounding such abuses.
The court ruled that the man must serve at least 14 years and 10 months before being eligible for parole. Additionally, a permanent domestic violence restraining order with conditions preventing contact has been issued against him.