A former police constable based at Lautoka Police Station has been sentenced to eight years imprisonment after being convicted of raping and indecent assaulting his female colleague.
The Lautoka High Court heard that the incident took place on 3rd September 2023 at the Lautoka Police Barracks, where both the man and the victim were stationed.
The court found that the former constable, while under the influence of alcohol, lured the victim into his room under false pretences before forcefully assaulting and raping her.
While sentencing the man, Lautoka High Court Judge Justice Aruna Aluthge says the offences were aggravated by the fact that the victim was intoxicated, trusted the man as a colleague and friend, and suffered severe trauma following the incident, which kept her away from work for nearly three weeks.
The judge also noted that the man’s actions were premeditated and a serious breach of trust.
Justice Aluthge says sexual offences are on the rise and most prevalent in Fiji.
He says the courts have emphasised that the increasing prevalence of this offence in our community calls for deterrent sentences and the duty of the court is to see that the sentences are such as to operate as a powerful deterrent factor to prevent the commission of such offences.
Justice Aluthge says the offenders must receive condign punishment to mark the society’s outrage and to denounce sexual abuse in our society as the courts are expected to protect our community from sex offenders.
The former police officer has 30 days to appeal his sentence.
