A 57- year-old man was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment by the High Court in Suva for raping a 13-year-old girl on different occasions between 2016 and 2017.
The man was found guilty and convicted for three counts of rape.
While handing down sentence, Justice Salesi Temo said rape of children is becoming prevalent in our society, despite the heavy prison sentence passed by the courts for the rape of children.
“The court had said in the past, and will keep on saying that it will not tolerate the abuse of children in our society. As it had done in the past, and is now doing and will continue to do, it will pass heavy prison sentences for the rape of children, as a warning to others,” Justice Temo said.
“By offending against the complainant, you had no regards to her right as a child, her right as a human being and her right to live a happy and peaceful life,” he said.
Justice Temo told the accused that the sentence is designed to punish the accused in a manner that is just in all circumstances, to protect the community from people like him, to deter other would be offenders.
The man will be eligible for parole after serving 10 years in prison.
