The High Court in Suva has convicted a Navua resident of orally and digitally raping his 13-year-old biological daughter.
Justice Daniel Goundar yesterday found the 39-year-old man guilty of two counts of rape committed in February last year.
The victim said in court that on the day in question, her father had manoeuvred her into the bedroom, sent her brother to the kitchen with his phone, and ensured they were alone before sexually violating her.
During the trial, her father exercised his right to remain silent and called no evidence.
The victim testified that she did not tell her brother, who was in the house at the time, because she was afraid her father would harm them. She said her father warned her not to tell anyone and promised them land worth $4000 in return for her silence.
But she did not heed this threat and went to her paternal grandmother and disclosed the incident.
In his judgement, Justice Goundar accepted her evidence, and found that the State had proved the requisite fault element of recklessness beyond reasonable doubt.
The man will be sentenced later.
