A 23-YEAR-OLD farmer has been sentenced to 12 years and eight months in prison for luring a seven-year-old boy into a plantation and raping him.
Justice Usaia Ratuvili passed sentence on July 20 in the High Court in Suva, following the man’s conviction on one count of rape committed in 2023.
The court heard that the accused and the young victim resided in the same settlement. On the day in question in 2023, the man lured the child to a nearby plantation where he sexually violated him.
According to a victim impact statement presented to the court, the young boy continues to suffer severe psychological trauma, experiencing sleepless nights, screaming in his sleep, and exhibiting violent outbursts when angry.
