A pastor, 75, was sentenced to 14 years and two months imprisonment by the High Court in Suva yesterday for four counts of rape.
Iowane Vakadranu of the Back to Eden Ministry raped two girls under the age of 18 between October 1, 2012 to August 31, 2014 in Labasa and Tailevu. The girls were members of his church.
He is married with four children.
Vakadranu ran a home school operated by the church and it was here that he raped the two youths after one-on-one interviews with them.
The first complainant in her evidence informed the court she had consented to engaging sexually with Vakadranu, while the second complainant denied giving consent.
Both complainants said they believed in Vakadranu and his teachings that they would not get sick, sin or die until the return of the Lord.
In his evidence, Vakadranu said he performed the acts on the two complainants to educate them on adultery and its lure before they were sent out on their mission to preach the gospel.
In his ruling, High Court judge Justice Vincent Perera said both victims left school in Form 6 because Vakadranu told them that education in this world was corrupt.
Justice Perera said the court heard Vakadranu returned to Waidalice in 2014 and continued to do this under the pretence that God had commanded him to carry out the acts, and that he was the spouse of the two victims, aged 19 and 20 years.
The other aggravating factors highlighted by the court was the breach of trust by the accused in his position as a pastor, the pre-planning and the deception involved in the crime, and for taking advantage the vulnerability of the victims.
He will be eligible for parole after serving 12 years and two months.
