A 36-year-old fish seller has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for raping his 13-year-old niece in the Central Division last year.
While sentencing him Suva High Court Judge Justice Paul Madigan highlighted that the State has filed a Victim Impact Report which in a case such as this is vitally important.
In that report the young girl states that the abuse has affected her to the extent that she feels disgusted with herself and cannot concentrate on the tasks at school.
Justice Madigan says the girl is understandably wary of being around men and she fears running into the accused.
The accused was related to the girl’s father and he was living in the house with the family since she was a baby.
In February and April last year the father was abroad and the accused was assisting the mother to look after the children.
He committed the offence on at least four occasions.
The girl told her mother about this and the matter was reported to police.
He will serve a minimum of 12 years before he is eligible for parole.
