A 31-year-old man has been sentenced to 13 years and 11 months imprisonment after being convicted of a count of rape and indecent assault.

Biu Cabebula raped a 15-year-old girl between the 6th and 31st of July 2012 in Sigatoka.

Judge Justice Sunil Sharma stated that the victim became pregnant at a time in her life where she was at an age when children are developing and looking forward to better times in life.

Justice Sharma says it is a well-known fact in this country that sexual offences involving children continue to rise.

A non‑parole period of 10 years has been fixed.