A Tongatapu electrician was found guilty of raping a woman in ʻAnanā
Saimone Vaka was convicted of one count of rape contrary to section 118(1)(a) Criminal Offences Act (Cap 18).
Justice Owen Paulsen had remanded him in custody until 29 September 2017 for sentencing.
The court was told Mr. Vaka persuaded the victim to drive with him to a bush area in ‘Ananā where he had non-consensual sexual intercourse with her in the front passenger seat of his car.
When they arrived at the scene, Mr. Vaka parked the car near a lagoon and began assaulting the victim.
He told her they have to do it because her husband was cheating on her.
The victim who was given name suppression, said she shouted at him and threatened to launch a complaint with Police.
But Mr. Vaka held her hands above her head with one hand whilst he used his other hand to unzip and pull down her trousers, the court judgement said.
She was wearing loose trousers with a zip.
She struggled against him until she had no energy left, the court was told.
She pleaded with Mr. Vaka to stop but he ignored her.
Mr. Vaka maintained that he did not have sexual intercourse with the victim.
He said the victim and a witness falsely accused him of rape to avoid paying a debt of about T$200 for electrical work.
However, Justice Paulsen said after considering all of the circumstances of this case he can see no reason whatsoever why the woman would “have made up such a wicked lie against Mr. Vaka for any of the reasons he advanced and no other reasons suggest themselves to me.”
“I am satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Vaka did have sexual intercourse with the victim as she had alleged”, Mr. Paulsen said.
