A FALL from grace is a punishment in itself, unfortunately the realisation is late and so is the apology for clemency.
High Court judge Justice Daniel Goundar made this statement yesterday as he slapped an eight-year custodial sentence on former Fiji 7s playmaker Amenoni Nasilasila in Lautoka.
While fixing a non-parole period of six years, Justice Goundar said the offence of rape committed by the 27-year-old was not a reflection of the values taught to him by his mother — the values that helped him establish himself as a professional sportsman locally and internationally.
Justice Goundar said Nasilasila’s referees had vouched for his hard work, perseverance and endurance, and he had an unblemished character until he committed the crime on December 22, 2018.
Nasilasila was convicted of raping a United States-based Fijian flight attendant in Olosara, Sigatoka, towards the end of last year.
“When an intrusive violation occurs to a person’s intimate body parts, the harm is to both the body and the soul of the victim.
“Scars to the body may heal over time, but the psychological damage done to the victim’s mental health is long-lasting or permanent.
“The victim said she was subjected to further victimisation on social media by the accused’s fans after she accused him of rape.”
Justice Goundar said it was a sad predicament on society to further victimise the victim because the accused was a sports celebrity.
He added Nasilasila’s status as a sports celebrity was not to be used as a mitigating factor and he had to be treated like any other ordinary citizen without giving any prominence or weight to his celebrity status.
