Military and police officers in Benedito case cop jail terms

Two military officers and three police officers were sentenced to four years imprisonment with a non-parole period of three years on Monday this week after being convicted for the sexual assault of Iowane Benedito in 2012.

A statement issued by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) says Sanita Laqenasici, Jona Davonu, Filimoni Catimaibulu (now deceased), Semesi Naduka and Pita Matairavula sexually assaulted an escaped prisoner in 2012 at Colo-i-Suva and a video of the incident was uploaded onto YouTube.

The statement read that Matairavula and Davonu’s sentences were made concurrent to the term they are currently serving for their involvement in the rape in 2014 of Vilikesa Soko and Senijeli Boila.

Vilikesa Soko later died in hospital as a result of the rape