Brutal and violent are the only memories a 14-year-old alleged rape victim has of her father.
This was revealed during the closing submission in the Suva High Court by the state lawyer in relation to the case where the father allegedly raped his daughter several times over a four-year period and impregnated her.
DPP lawyer Madonna Fong addressed the assessors where she told them that the victim gave clear evidence during a closed court session and that she is a believable and credible witness.
Fong said the victim was disgusted with the incidents but could not tell anyone as she was threatened by the father and was living in fear.
She said the victim was physically and sexually abused and her mother was a witness to the assault.
In his closing submission the accused asked the assessors to consider the nature of how the evidence was given and was it possible for a girl of her age to hold the incidents from her mother.
The father said that there was no way a parent could not have known as to what was happening with a child.
He also said that his wife and children need him and that they have also been visiting him at the remand center in Korovou.
The man is charged with 5 counts of rape and 2 counts of indecent assault.
During the trial it was revealed that the girl was allegedly raped from 2008 to 2011 by her father and was 20 weeks pregnant in 2012.
The pregnancy had to be terminated as the girl who is a cancer patient had to start chemotherapy.
The summing up of the case will be held this afternoon after which the assessors will retire behind closed doors to deliberate on their verdict.
Story by: Praneeta Prakash
