Man gets 8 years for robbery

A man was sentenced to eight years imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to attacking and robbing a foreign national in Suva in June last year.

While sentencing Vereniki Batikalou today, High Court Judge, Justice Sitabaram Pillai Thurairaja said the government and the City Council are doing their best to encourage the public to do physical exercise including walking.

The judge told Batikalou that he assaulted a woman who was jogging at the seawall of Suva, and even though the robbed amount is small, Batikalou has created fear not only for the victim but also to others who are using the common facilities.

Justice Thurairaja said if this continues, this beautiful Fiji will have sickly people, which in turn will cause a serious burden to the health facilities of this country.

The judge said the sentence should be a lesson to all offenders who are committing similar offences.

The incident occurred on the 12th of June last year when the victim was walking along Queen Elizabeth Drive.

Batikalou had grabbed her from the back and carried her into the bushes.

He then used force and got away with $20 cash, a shoulder bag valued at $10 and a pair of sunglasses worth $30.

When the matter was taken up to court, Batikalou was charged with attempted rape and robbery.

However the DPP had withdrawn the count of attempted rape after Batikalou pleaded guilty to the robbery charge.

Batikalou has 26 previous convictions, mainly relating to burglary and larceny.

Based on this, Justice Thurairaja said that he is a habitual offender and sentenced him to 8 years imprisonment with 7 years fixed as non-parole period.

Story by: Vijay Narayan