A Tongatapu father received a 5-year sentence after he committed incest with his daughter and granddaughter in 2005 and 2018.
Tapakautolo ‘Epenisa, 66, was sentenced to four years and six months for raping the girls.
As he handed down the lenient sentence, Acting Chief Justice Charles Cato cited the father’s early guilty plea, show of real remorse and he was a first time offender.
He pleaded guilty after he was charged with counts of incest, serious indecent assault and one count of domestic violence.
On the count of incest by a male person, the accused is sentenced to four years and six months imprisonment.
On the count of serious indecent assault, the accused is sentenced to one year and nine month imprisonment. Six months of which is to be served concurrently upon the sentence of four and a half years, making a total of five years imprisonment to be backdated to the date of his remand in custody.
The final two years of his combined sentence is suspended on the following conditions.
a). The accused is not to commit any offences punishable by imprisonment for the period of suspension.
b). The accused is placed on probation for the period of his suspension to live when directed.
c). The accused is not to drink alcohol during the period of his suspension.
d). The accused is not to reside in any location where girls, or young women under the age of 18 resides,
e). The accused is to attend at the direction of Probation a curse on sexual abuse of girls or young woman.
f). The accused is not to initiate any contact with either of the complainants but may only have contact with them if they initiate the contact.
On the count of domestic violence, the accused is sentenced to eight months imprisonment to be served concurrently with count one and two.
