A 30-year-old man was convicted of raping a young woman who was working as cleaner at a guesthouse back in 2017, in Tongatapu.

Hon Mr Justice Cato in his verdict on April 10 found Viliami Lolo guilty on one count of rape after a trial, at the Supreme Court in Nuku’alofa.

This serious offence occurred in a room at this guesthouse, where the accused was staying during the complainant's shift.

The judge said he listened closely to what both the complainant and the accused had to say. 

He said the complainant gave her evidence clearly, concisely and he was satisfied without any embellishment. “I believed her evidence and consider beyond any doubt she was a reliable, credible and trustworthy witness,” 

"I have no doubt that she was telling the truth when she said she was very scared and that she had not been able to yell out, She said that, anyway, there was no one around to have heard. This must have been a very frightening experience for her going about her daily work that morning," he said.

The judge in convicting the accused rejected mistaken belief as to consent. 

“In my view, he was opportunistic in his desire to have sexual relations with the complainant that morning.”

The accused was remanded in custody to be sentenced on May 17.

Meanwhile, the judge suppressed the name of the complainant or any information that might identify her.