31 people charged for rape and sexual offences in the month of February

Rape dominates sexual offences committed in Fiji last month. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) yesterday revealed that 62 counts of sexual offences were recorded in February. 42 were charges of rape.

The ODPP revealed that 31 people were charged with a total of 62 counts of sexual offences during the month. The cases included a 24-year-old Policeman who was charged for indecently annoying a 26-year-old female counterpart. The offences were 42 charges of rape, one abduction with intent to have carnal knowledge, three defilements, two indecent assaults, one indecently annoying and 13 sexual assaults.

Of the 31 accused persons, six were juveniles and two were police personnel. There were 29 victims of whom 18 were under the age of 18 years.

There were 14 incidents where the victims and the accused were related to one another.

The ODPP said 45-year-old Police personnel was charged with the indecent assault of a 46-year-old female colleague.

A 14-year-old boy was charged with the rape and sexual assault of his four-year-old cousin, while in another incident, a 13-year-old boy was charged with the rape and sexual assault of his 9-year-old niece.

There was one incident where two 16-year-old boys and a 17-year-old boy were charged with the rape of a 16-year-old girl.

The accused persons allegedly locked the victim in a school toilet and raped her. The accused persons were also charged with the wrongful confinement of the victim. A 45-year-old man was charged with the rape of his 20-year-old employee while in another incident, a 33-year-old man was charged with raping of his 40-year-old co-worker. A 29-year-old nightclub bouncer was charged with the rape of a 23-year-old woman.

The accused allegedly raped the victim while she was incapacitated from drinking at the nightclub.