Serious concerns have been raised as a girl and a boy have been allegedly raped in separate incidents.
The first incident occurred in Ba where a 13-year-old boy was allegedly sexually assaulted by a 35-year-old man twice at a housing construction site last Friday.
Chief of Investigations and Intelligence ACP Henry Brown said the victim had accompanied his grandfather who is a security officer to work on the night the alleged incident occurred.
While at the work site, the boy had accompanied the 35-year-old man to look at other homes under construction.
Police said it is at one of the homes that the suspect allegedly asked the victim to perform sexual acts following which he was sexually assaulted.
The next day the victim while waiting for his grandfather at a bus shelter was again lured to the suspect’s home where he was allegedly forced to perform sexual acts.
The accused has been charged with two counts of rape and appeared in the Ba Magistrates Court yesterday.
ACP Brown said the victim had allegedly relayed the matter to his grandfather and was ignored, leaving him in a vulnerable state where the suspect was given another opportunity to commit the second alleged offence.
Brown said it is worrying when a child is not taken seriously by those who are supposed to be protecting their wellbeing and interests.
In another incident, a 7-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a 15-year-old boy in Nadi on Sunday night.
The suspect was a guest at the victim’s house.
Police said the victim who was at home with an aunt was lured to an adjacent home by the suspect where she was allegedly sexually assaulted when the family had gone out to the farm.
ACP Brown said children are vulnerable especially in the presence of strangers which is why they are stressing the importance of keeping a close eye on them at all times.
