[Source: CFIC]

A 39-year-old man who raped his 11-year-old biological daughter last year was jailed for more than 13 years by the High Court in Lautoka.

During proceedings in court, it was revealed that the accused waited for his daughter to come out of the washroom before he pushed her back in and sexually assaulted her.

When she began shouting, he took off his tee-shirt and covered her mouth.

In a second incident in February this year, the victim and her younger brother were sleeping when their father entered the room and pulled her under the bed.

The victim’s brother woke up, began crying and ran out of the house. The accused then raped his daughter until his elder daughter entered the room and disturbed him.

The victim went to her aunt’s house and told her what had transpired. The matter was reported to police, she was medically examined and the accused was arrested, caution interviewed and charged.

In mitigation, counsel for the accused told the court that he was 39, married with five children – all below the age of 18 years, was a fisherman, cooperated with police during the investigation and promised not to reoffend.

However, High Court Judge Justice Sunil Sharma said the victim was the accused’s daughter and he had grossly breached her trust.

He also said there was some degree of planning involved, the accused abused the victim when he saw her alone in the washroom and in the house.

Justice Sharma also said there was significant impact on the victim – she could not concentrate on her schoolwork and was unable to finish her education, had to relocate away from mother and siblings and still carries the trauma of what the accused had done.

He sentenced the accused to 13 years, two months and 20 days in prison, with a non-parole period of 11 years and six months.

Justice Sharma also imposed permanent non-molestation and non-contact orders.