A 28-year-old police constable has been sentenced to eight years imprisonment for the rape and sexual assault of a female colleague at the Lautoka Police Barracks in September 2023.
Delivering the sentence in the Lautoka High Court on October 23, Justice Aruna Aluthge said the offences committed by the officer were a serious breach of trust and called for a deterrent sentence to mark society’s condemnation of such acts.
“You committed this offence on a vulnerable victim when she was drunk,” Justice Aluthge said.
“The victim trusted you as a colleague and friend. You breached that trust, lured her into your room, and assaulted her. The offence was planned to satisfy your lustful demands.”
The man was convicted after a contested trial on five counts — one of indecent assault, one of sexual assault, and three counts of rape.
The court heard that the accused and the victim, both police constables, had been drinking with colleagues when the assault occurred. The victim later took nearly three weeks off work due to trauma.
Justice Aluthge said sexual offences were on the rise in Fiji and that the courts must impose sentences that serve as a warning to others.
“The increasing prevalence of sexual offences in our community calls for deterrent sentences.”
“The court’s duty is to ensure offenders receive punishment that reflects society’s outrage and protects the community from sexual predators.”
In determining the sentence, the judge considered both aggravating and mitigating factors. His abuse of trust, use of alcohol, and premeditated actions were weighed against his age, clean record, and cooperation with police.
“You are relatively young and a first offender,” Justice Aluthge said.
“I believe you have potential for rehabilitation. To balance rehabilitation with deterrence, I impose a non-parole period of six years.”
The was sentenced to eight years in prison with a non-parole period of six years. He has 30 days to appeal the sentence.
