Rape victim said he could not focus in school
A14-year-old boy alleged to have been raped by four of his uncles told the Suva High Court yesterday that he could not concentrate on his school work after the alleged incidents.
The complainant said his teachers told him to concentrate on his school work but he could not because he kept having flashbacks.
The boy gave evidence before Judge Justice Salesi Temo and the three assessors yesterday.
The four men are charged with one count each of rape on different occasions between November 1, 2015 and March 3 last year. The alleged incidents happened at a village in the Eastern Division.
The complainant is the second youngest in a family of six brothers.
During the examination in chief, State Prosecutor Taitusi Tuenuku asked the complainant when the matter came to his parents’ attention to which he responded that the clergyman told them.
The complainant said he had first informed his prayer group about the alleged incidents and they suggested that the matter be reported to the Police.
He said after his parents were informed, the following day he went with his mother to the Nausori Police Station to lodge a complaint.
He confirmed that this was around March of last year.
After lodging a complaint, they went to the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre before being escorted to the Nausori hospital where he was medically examined by a doctor. Upon their arrival at home, the complainant’s mother updated his father as to what had happened and when he returned home from work he went and spoke to the second accused’s family.
Defence lawyer Nemani Tuifagalele who is representing the first three accused men put it to the complainant that he never made any statement to the Police against his clients.
The complainant said that he gave the statements however he did not remember the date.
Mr Tuifagalele also put to him that he was coached by his family, relatives and the Police on what to say in court, to which he responded that they only wished him well that he would tell the truth in court. When Mr Tuifagalele put it to the complainant that he was quick to respond when he alleged that the accused men waved at him.
He said he responded to their call because he thought they wanted to give him something.
Mr Tuifagalele put it to the complainant that he saw a ghost waving at him from the first accused’s kitchen because the door and windows were closed and there was no way he could see who was standing inside. The complainant responded in saying that the first accused’s kitchen was ‘corrupted’ and the doors had holes in them which enabled him to see the accused. The fourth accused is represented by Swavada Prakash from the Legal Aid Commission.
The trial continues today.