The 9-year-old girl who was allegedly raped by 31-year-old Ilaitia Nalawa in Nakasi in July last year, confirmed in the High Court today that she only saw a tattoo on the man’s leg when she was attacked.
She says it looked like a tattoo of a bird with a beak.
During the cross examination by Nalawa’s lawyer, Panapasa Tawake, the girl said she could not see the face of the man as he was wearing a mask.
She says she also fainted and was not aware of what was happening.
Prosecution witness, Doctor Reapi Mataika then took the witness stand.
Mataika is trained to examine children who have been abused.
She said that she had examined the 9-year-old girl on the 8th of July last year, the day after the alleged rape.
Mataika said the girl was bleeding, she was fearful, she had bruises on her face, swelling on her face, swelling on the left eye, bruises on her neck, a cut on her upper lip and part of her eye was bleeding.
The doctor said that the 9-year-old was vomiting and she could not eat as she could not open her mouth.
The girl was admitted for 3 days.
The defence lawyer raised the issue that the evidence given by Doctor Reapi Mataika is inadmissible as its hearsay and the evidence did not come from the child. Tawake claims that the doctor did not speak to the girl.
He said the mother was also in the room and the doctor was speaking to the girl through her mother.
However Doctor Mataika said she spoke to the child.
Meanwhile prosecution witness, Sergeant Rakesh Mani who is based at the Forensic Science Services Department in Nausori said that he conducted the crime scene examination in Nakasi.
Mani said that he discovered some carpentry tools, a mobile phone, a lighter, some spanners and screwdrivers under a palm tree.
The trial continues before Justice Salesi Temo.
