The Labasa High Court has sentenced a 48-year-old man to 16 years imprisonment for raping his 15-year-old niece.
The incidents happened when the victim came from Rabi to live with the accused and his family for schooling in Labasa after her father’s death.
Judge, Justice Daniel Goundar says the victim was a Year 8 student when the accused started to sexually abuse her.
Justice Goundar says the abuse continued for almost nine months until the victim confided in a school friend and that is how the matter came to light.
The victim was removed from the care of the accused and was placed in a foster home.
Justice Goundar says during the trial the man had said that the sex was consensual however the victim said that she did not consent and said no to the accused on every occasion.
He says the victim did not resist because of fear of being disbelieved by her family and did not report the matter because of his threats to assault and chase her from his home.
Justice Goundar says in one of the incidents of rape, it was witnessed by another child.
The Judge says the physical and emotional harm done to the victim is severe and she now lives in a foster home.
A non-parole period of 11 years has been set.
