TWO Rakiraki farmers who pleaded guilty to the assault and rape of a 17-year-old girl five years ago have each been sent to prison for eight years.
The two men were sentenced by Magistrate Samuela Qica in the Rakiraki Magistrates Court yesterday.
They admitted to assaulting the young girl who fell unconscious from their punches and was later raped by both accused at a vacant house in Rakiraki in March, 2009.
According to court records, the girl was returning from a church conference when she was attacked by the two men.
She later regained consciousness and alerted her grandfather of the violent crime.
A medical examination later proved that she was raped by the farmers.
While sentencing the duo, Mr Qica said the two men had taken advantage of the vulnerable and helpless girl when she was in an unconscious state.
He said the eight-year prison sentence was also a warning to would-be offenders not to commit such heinous crimes. The accused were given 28 days to appeal their sentence.