Six men appeared in Nausori Magistrates Court yesterday, facing a total of 17 charges related to rape and assault stemming from two incidents involving a 14-year-old girl in 2020. All individuals involved, including the victim, hail from the same village.
The first accused, a 22-year-old man, is facing seven counts of rape, while another 22-year-old man is charged with eight counts. A 24-year-old man has been charged with one count of rape. A 25-year-old man and a 29-year-old man have been jointly charged with one count of rape. Additionally, in a separate case, the 29-year-old man is also jointly charged with the 24-year-old man for assault causing actual bodily harm.
All defendants have been remanded, and the case has been forwarded to the Suva High Court, where it is scheduled to be heard again on October 1, 2024.