![[Photo: Fiji Rugby]](https://www.fijivillage.com/news_images/64140275162118912b1fe9d6cd0552.jpg)
Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre Coordinator Shamima Ali says she is appalled at the inclusion of convicted rapist Amenoni Nasilasila in the Wardens 7s side that competed in the Super 7s series at Prince Charles Park, Nadi.
She says they demand his immediate withdrawal from the team and totally condemn Nasilasila’s inclusion.
Ali says Nasilasila is a convicted rapist and it is beyond belief that the Fiji Corrections Service has allowed him to play in the Wardens side.
She further says Nasilasila is not a warden, he is an inmate.
The FWCC Coordinator says they demand an answer as to why he is allowed to play because he was convicted in a court of law.
She stresses that this is sending out a terrible message to rapists and would-be rapists.
Ali adds rape is a heinous crime and once a person is convicted, they need to serve out their sentence – not be allowed to play rugby at their leisure.
She further says rape is one of the most underreported crimes – we had 790 rape cases from 2016 to October last year – but they believe this represents only 5% of the total number of cases in the country.
[Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre Coordinator Shamima Ali]
Ali adds up to 95% of survivors live with this in silence while the perpetrators walk free among us and allowing Nasilasila to play in this or any other tournament is not on.
She says they demand an answer as to how this was made possible.
Ali adds the Government has a robust plan for eliminating violence against women and a National Action Plan under development – this kind of incident actually negates all the good work done by the State and by NGOs in this area.
Nasilasila was sentenced to 8 years in prison by High Court Judge Justice Daniel Goundar.
He raped a 24-year-old woman in a settlement in Sigatoka on 22nd December 2018.
The Fiji Corrections Service is yet to respond to questions sent by fijivillage.
In 2019, the Fiji Corrections Service Director of Rehabilitation Senior Superintendent Salote Panapasa told us that Nasilasila was undergoing the relevant rehabilitation program.
She had said that once Nasilasila undergoes all the relevant treatment programs then they will commence his reintegration process.
