Fijian soldier convicted of bus assault |
Joape Kotobalavu, a 29-year-old soldier from the Royal Regiment of Scotland, was found guilty of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl on a bus in October 2022. The victim bravely testified from behind a screen, recounting how Kotobalavu, who was intoxicated, forced himself on her by kissing and licking her face. She described feeling “disgusted” and scared during the incident, stating: “I was too scared that if I said stop or no, you just don't know where it was going to go.” The court, led by Sheriff Kathrine Mackie, deemed her a “credible and reliable witness,” and the CCTV footage corroborated her account. Kotobalavu has been placed on the sex offenders register, with sentencing deferred for social work reports. |
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