A 29-YEAR-OLD married man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for raping his 16-year-old niece on two consecutive days.
Justice Lee James Burney sentenced the man at the High Court in Labasa on August 14 after he was convicted following a trial.
The man was convicted of two counts of rape relating to offences committed on October 4 and 5, 2025.
The court was told the victim was living with her aunt, uncle, and other family members when the man came to stay with them during the cane-cutting season.
On October 4, the victim was awoken by him touching her leg. When she returned from the washroom, he stood in front of her before raping her.
The following day, he followed her into the washroom and raped her again.
The court heard the victim continued to suffer fear, nightmares, and embarrassment, had difficulty trusting male relatives and struggled to concentrate on her studies.
The man must serve nine years and two months of his head sentence before being eligible for parole.
