State Prosecutor Siteri Navia has asked the Suva High Court to give the 75-year-old leader and pastor of Back to Eden Church Ministry Iowane Vakadranu a sentence that is at the higher end of the sentence tariff.
Navia told High Court Judge Justice Vincent Perera that a higher sentence should be given to deter religious leaders from committing similar acts.
She said Vakadranu took advantage of the victims’ vulnerability and betrayed their trust.
Navia says he also had no regard for the victims’ moral values.
The prosecution also asked the court to consider the 10 months which Vakadranu had been in remand as a mitigating factor.
Defence lawyer Semi Tinivata was not present in court to give his closing submission as he was sick.
Iowane Vakadranu will be sentenced next Wednesday.
Justice Vincent Perera found Vakadranu guilty of four counts of rape.
Vakadranu is remanded in custody.
The church leader and pastor raped two members of his church between 1st October, 2012 to 31st August, 2014 in Labasa and Tailevu.
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