A welder convicted of raping his 13-year-old biological daughter in Navua has been sentenced to 15 years in prison with a non-parole period of 12 years.
The 37-year-old was convicted on two counts of rape committed in 2025.
The court records show that the man was at home with the victim and her younger brother in a small corrugated-iron house.
The man deliberately contrived to be alone with the victim in the bedroom by sending her brother to the kitchen with his mobile phone to watch videos.
Once he had isolated her, he used the pretext of a stomach massage to manoeuvre her onto the bed.
She eventually fled to her grandmother and disclosed what he did.
He attempted to silence her by telling her not to tell anyone and referring to land he said he had registered for her and her brother.
In his March 24 sentencing remarks, Justice Daniel Goundar said the man had not demonstrated remorse or insight into his offending, noting that no meaningful steps towards rehabilitation had been presented to the court.
