Praneeta Prakash 
The Lautoka High Court.
A father of nine who raped his 17- year- old cousin in Sigatoka in 2020 has been sentenced to 15-years imprisonment by the Lautoka High Court.
The unfortunate incident occurred at the victim’s home when she was in the company of her younger cousins and no adults were present.
During the court proceedings, it was revealed that the victim had suffered severe emotional and psychological trauma as a result of the accused’s actions.
The accused was convicted of one count of rape and one count of sexual assault.
High Court Judge Justice Riyaz Hamza highlighted that the accused had deliberately preyed upon the victim’s vulnerability, helplessness, and naivety.
Justice Hamza also noted that there was some degree of planning and premeditation on his part in committing the offense.
The accused has been sentenced to 15-years of imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 12-years.
Taking into account the time the accused has already spent in remand, his overall sentence has been adjusted.
His head sentence now stands at 14-years and nine months, with a non-parole period of 11-years and nine-months.
