28 People Charged With Serious Sexual Offences Last Month

The month of July saw 28 people charged with a total of 53 counts of separate incidents of serious sexual offences.

Of the 28 people charged, four were juveniles. This includes: a 14-year-old boy who was charged with the rape of his 13-year-old cousin a 17-year-old boy who was charged with the defilement of his 14-year-old and 15-yearold cousins. a 15-year-old boy who was charged with the rape and sexual assault of a 12-yearold girl and a 16-year-old boy who was charged alongside four other accused persons in the alleged gang rape of a 21-yearold and a 38-year-old woman during a drinking party There were 25 victims of whom 17

were under the age of 18 years old. There was one male victim and 24 female victims. There were six incidents where the victims and the accused were related to one another.

A 71-year-old man was charged with the attempt to commit rape and rape of his 25-year-old stepdaughter, however, this matter was discontinued due to the inability to locate the complainant. There were two other incidents where a 62-year-old and a 45-yearold man were charged with the rape and sexual assault of their 22-yearold and 15-year-old stepdaughters.

In another incident, a 24-year-old man was charged with the rape of his 11-year-old nephew. There were two separate incidents where two 19-year-old men were charged with the defilement, rape, and indecent assault of a 15-yearold girl and a 20-year-old woman. The accused persons and the victims were from the same school. There was one incident where a 41-year-old man was charged with burglary, rape and sexual assault of a 49-year-old woman.

The accused who was a family friend allegedly held a knife to the victim’s neck as he raped her.

A 41-year-old man was charged with the rape and sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl. The accused was a family friend.

There was one incident where a 72-year-old man was charged with the indecent assault of a four-yearold girl, however, this matter was discontinued due to the mental condition of the accused person. A 24-year-old man was charged with the rape of a 37-year-old Australian national, however, this matter was discontinued after the complainant refused to return to Fiji to give evidence.

There was one incident where a 35-year-old security officer was charged with the rape of a 21-yearold woman and in another incident a 25-year-old bus driver was charged with the rape and indecent assault of an 11-year-old girl. A 23-year-old man was charged with the defilement of a 16-yearold girl, however, this matter was discontinued due to insufficient evidence.

Eight cases were withdrawn after discontinuances (Nolle Prosequi) were filed due to insufficient evidence, inability to locate the complainants, complainant refusing to return to Fiji to give evidence and the mental condition of the accused person.

This data was authorised for release by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) and relates to the number of formal indictments (Information) filed in the High Courts of Fiji by the Director of Public Prosecutions throughout the month.

This data is confined to incidents of serious sexual offences only. Source: Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions