News

Stepfather jailed for raping child with special needs

May 28, 2018 5:38 am

A thirty-five-year-old man has been sentenced to fourteen years seven months imprisonment for one count each of rape and criminal intimidation.

The Lautoka High Court heard the incident happened in June 2015 in Nadi.

The victim is a special needs child, intellectually impaired and a slow learner.

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She resided with her mother, two brothers and her step father who was been convicted of the rape. At the time of the offence she was 14-years-old.

The Court heard the victim’s mother left for work at 7am on the day of the incident and the accused, who worked at a car wash, came home at 8am.

After some time the accused gave the victim’s brothers some money to go to the shop and buy sweets.

The victim was alone at home and after washing the dishes she went into the bedroom to fold clothes.

The Court heard this is when her stepfather entered the room, locked the door and raped her.

When the victim shouted, the accused put a cloth in her mouth.

The Court heard she also tried to go outside and tell someone about the incident but the man threatened her with a cane knife saying he would chop her if she told anyone about what he did.

The next day the victim informed her teacher about the rape and the matter was reported to the Social Welfare Department and then to police.

The convicted rapist has a non-parole sentence of twelve years.