Dad admits rape charge

Afather alleged to have raped his daughter repeatedly from 2005 to 2017 pleaded guilty in the High Court in Suva yesterday.

Before court sitting yesterday morning marking day three of trial, Legal Aid lawyer Lice Manulevu informed Justice Thushara Rajasinghe that her client wanted to take a progressive approach.

The accused pleaded guilty to four representative counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault, one count of attempted rape and one count of indecent assault.

He told the court that he was pleading guilty on his own free will and that no one had forced him or promised him anything in return for his guilty plea.

Justice Rajasinghe questioned him if he knew the consequences of his plea and if he understood that he could be convicted and sentenced for the offences.

The accused responded saying he understood the consequences.

Through his lawyer, the accused requested if he could speak to his two daughters privately.

Ms Manulevu said the accused wanted to speak to his daughters one last time because he might be remanded after his conviction and would not see them again later.

Justice Rajasinghe granted his request and allowed the accused to speak to his daughters in a closed court sitting.

State lawyer Mehzabeen Khan read out the summary of facts and said the girl was born on October 13, 1993.

She said the girl’s mother passed away in 2005 and the accused was tasked with looking after the complainant and her two younger siblings. That was when he allegedly began raping her inside their home and at times allegedly outside by a tree and on one instance allegedly at their family pig pen.

Ms Khan said even though the complainant had indicated to her father that she was not consenting to the acts he continued sexually abusing her because she reminded him of her mother. The accused is expected to be sentenced today.

Edited by Epineri Vula