Ritika Pratap 
A 54-year-old man has been sentenced to life imprisonment after being convicted of four representative counts of rape and two counts of sexual assault.
The Suva High Court heard that the man raped his 15-year-old step-granddaughter with special needs.
The incident happened when the victim was enrolled in Year 9 at a special needs hospital.
The court highlighted that these criminal acts were not isolated, but instead were perpetrated on numerous occasions.
The offending involved not only sexual violation but was accompanied by threats, violence and profound breach of familial trust.
The court also heard that the victim was subjected to punching, beatings with a stick, forced disrobing and was continuously threatened with death if she disclosed the abuse.
As a result of the sexual abuse, the victim became pregnant and gave birth at just the age of 15.
Judge Justice Daniel Goundar while sentencing the man stated that such offending particularly involving familial relationships, is tragically prevalent.
Justice Goundar jailed the man for life imprisonment for each count of rape and 10 years on each count of sexual assault.
The sentences will be served concurrently.
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