A 39-year-old man who raped and indecently assaulted his 14-year-old niece has been sentenced to 18 years imprisonment by Lautoka High Court Judge, Justice Sunil Sharma.
The incidents happened in Tavua in 2014 and 2015.
Justice Sharma has ruled that the time spent in remand be considered as a period of imprisonment already served and the final aggregate sentence is 17 years 10 months imprisonment.
It was heard in court that after the death of the girl’s mother she lived with the man, her grandmother and her brother.
Justice Sharma says the man’s conduct is unthinkable and deplorable adding he is sick in mind and for his sexual gratification he has scarred the life of a child forever.
Justice Sharma says according to the victim impact statement, she became suicidal at one stage of her life because she was blamed for the incidents by her own family and was moving from one place to the other.
The Judge further says the man had carefully planned what he wanted to do as, he knew his mother was not at home but attending a funeral, he then sent the girl’s brother to the shop so that he was left with the girl.
A non-parole period of 15 years has been set.
