12 years jail for rape

A MAN convicted and sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for raping his 14-year-old neighbour was told that he had exploited the complainant’s vulnerability when he committed the offence.

The 28-year-old man appeared before Justice Vinsent Perera in the High Court in Suva on Friday.

He was convicted of one count of rape and one count of indecent assault.

The offence happened between February 13, 2016 and April 30, 2016.

He had raped the complainant at her Nausori home while her mother was assisting in preparations for his sister’s wedding.

In passing sentence, Justice Perera told the convicted man that he had admitted in his evidence that he had built a good relationship with the complainant and her mother.

Justice Perera said the complainant had also regarded the convicted man as her brother by calling him bhaiya (brother).

However, by committing the offence, Justice Perera told the man he had breached the trust the complainant had on him.

The man will be eligible for parole after serving 10 years.