Futher rape charges laid

FIJI – The 39-year-old suspect in the rape and murder of a 14-year-old in Deuba near Pacific Harbour earlier this month has been charged with the rape of two more young girls.

Police acting chief of investigations and intelligence Luke Navela confirmed this yesterday, saying the suspect has been charged with the alleged rape of a 13-year-old girl in 1998 and 16-year-old-girl in 2002.

Navela said the two alleged rapes occurred in the same area as the incident earlier this month.

Navela said the suspect was in police custody and the two alleged cases of rape were uncovered as they conducted their investigations.

The arrest of the rape and murder suspect has prompted Fiji police to urge Fijians to refrain from engaging in the traditional process of asking for forgiveness when it comes to matters such as sexual assault or rape.

Police chief intelligence and investigating officer ACP Luke Navela said the incident which caused the death of the 14-year-old could have been avoided.

“We plead to members of the public that it is their duty to report sexual offence cases to police to allow for our investigations to proceed,” ACP Navela said.

“The man had been committing the offence for a number of years and people living around the nearby settlements never reported the matter as the
suspect’s mother – who had recently died – had been engaged in the traditional process of seeking forgiveness through the religious means of apologising.”

- PNC/Fiji Times