A 69-year-old man charged with raping a 10-year-old girl has been ordered to remain in custody until his relocation arrangements are finalized. The man faces charges of rape and sexual assault involving a minor, whom he was known to refer to as “grandfather.”
This case was addressed by Justice Dane Tuiqereqere at the High Court in Suva, related to incidents alleged to have occurred on May 5 of this year. State prosecutor Katarina Dugan stated that while the prosecution was not opposing bail, the proposed sureties were deemed unsuitable. The first surety was identified as the accused’s 21-year-old unemployed niece, and the second was another relative.
Dugan noted that the accused’s family was still in the process of deciding on relocation plans for him. Justice Tuiqereqere emphasized the necessity for the accused to have legal support for both his substantive case and bail proceedings. Legal Aid attorney Severo Ravu agreed to serve as the duty solicitor for the accused.
Both parties have been allotted seven days to communicate and resolve the surety matters. Full disclosures have been filed, and the defense has been given three weeks to advise their client on the plea. The accused’s bail application is set to be heard on October 1, with his plea scheduled for October 18.