A FORMER teacher at a prominent school has been sentenced to 14 years and six months’ imprisonment for sexually violating three teenage boys, with the High Court finding he had gravely breached the trust placed in him as a teacher.
Justice Usaia Ratuvili sentenced the 27-year-old yesterday after convicting him of five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault committed in 2024.
The court heard the former teacher violated the boys, aged 15 and 17, on separate occasions, where he forced them to perform sexual acts.
In sentencing, Justice Ratuvili said schools, particularly boarding schools, must be safe places where parents can confidently entrust their children to teachers and school administrators.
He said teachers stand in loco parentis, with a duty to care for the children in their charge by ensuring they are safe, fed and provided with an environment in which they can learn and rest.
Justice Ratuvili said the sentence reflected the seriousness of the offending, denounced the abuse of trust, and served as both a specific and general deterrent while allowing the offender an opportunity for rehabilitation.
The former teacher will be eligible for parole after serving 11 years and nine months of his sentence.
