12 charged with serious sexual offences last month

With a total of 35 counts of separate incidents of serious sexual offences last month, 12 people were charged.

This is according to data authorised for release by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, relating to the number of formal indictments (Information) filed in the High Courts of Fiji by the Director of Public Prosecutions throughout the month.

The offences were rape (20), attempted rape (8), abduction with intent to have carnal knowledge (1), indecent assault (1) and sexual assault (4). Of the 12 people charged, one was a juvenile.

A 12-year-old boy was charged with the sexual assault of a sixyear-old girl from his village. There were 15 complainants of whom 11 were under the age of 18 years. There were five incidents where the complainants and the accused were related to one another.

There were three separate incidents where uncles were charged with the rape of their nieces.

In one incident, a 35-year-old man was charged with multiple counts of rape and attempted rape of his eight-year-old and two nine-yearold nieces.

In another incident, a 56-year-old man was charged with the rape and indecent assault of his nine-yearold niece while in another incident, a 39-year-old man was charged with the rape of his 10-year-old niece. A 30-year-old man was charged with the rape of his 27-year-old de facto partner.

The accused was also charged for assaulting his partner with a hammer. He was also charged with assault causing harm and wrongful confinement. (NB: The offence of assault, assault causING HArM AND wrONGFuL CONfiNEment is recorded separately). In another incident, a 25-year-old man was charged with the rape of his 51-year-old de facto partner.

There was one incident where a 33-year-old tour bus operator was charged with the rape, abduction with intent to have carnal knowledge, and sexual assault of a 16-year-old girl.

A 44-year-old man was charged with the rape of 25-year-old woman. The alleged incident occurred during daylight after the accused allegedly knocked the victim unconscious on the street. A 21-year-old man was charged with the rape of a 19-year-old woman. The accused and complainant were attending the same school at the time of the incident.

There was one incident where a 33-year-old man was charged with the rape and sexual assault of a 13-year-old and a 17-year-old girl. The accused was a family friend. There was one incident where an 18-year-old man was charged with the rape of a 15-year-old girl, however, this matter was withdrawn after the complainant admitted to making a false complaint. A 22-year-old man was charged with the defilement of a 15-year-old girl.

Refer to the table entitled ODPP Rape and Sexual Offences April 2020 for a break-down of these statistics.