A 60 year old man, who indecently assaulted, raped and committed an unnatural offence on his 6 year old niece has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by the Suva High Court this afternoon.

The man was found guilty of the charges by the assessors and the Judge last week.

The man first committed the offence when he indecently assaulted her in January 2007 and the next day he raped her.

Two years later, the man raped the girl again who was than 8 years old and committed an unnatural offence on her.

Judge Justice Salesi Temo stated while handing down the sentence that the man committed the offence on a child knowing that the victim was incapable of consent.

Justice Temo said he breached the trust of the victims mother who trusted him as an extended family member to look after her children, bathe and feed them and protect them when she is out making a living.

He said while the mother trusted him, the man was secretly abusing her daughter which was the height of deceit and abuse and undermined a vulnerable family for which he must now pay the price.

Justice Temo sentenced the man to 3 years for indecent assault, 15 years on the two counts of rape and 11 years on one count of indecent assault.

He ordered that the sentences are to be served concurrently so the man will spend the next 15 years behind bars.

Judge Temo also ordered that to protect the victim and the family and assist them get over the trauma and move on, the name of the victim and her family is to be permanently suppressed.


Story by: Roneel Lal