CONVICTED pastor Iowane Vakadranu has filed an appeal with the Fiji Court of Appeal.
Vakadranu, 75, was sentenced to 14 years and two months’ imprisonment by the High Court in Suva after he was found guilty of raping two girls who were part of the Back to Eden Ministry he founded.
In his petition, he claimed the learned judge failed to consider his rights under the 2013 Constitution that religion was a personal belief under the secular state.
Vakadranu stated the learned judge deprived one of the prosecution witnesses of her right to give full consent and the fact that she was still a member of the church.
He claimed the witness still attended the church and her belief in the mission to spread the gospel around the world had not stopped.
Vakadranu is represented by lawyer Semi Tinivata.
