Six men appeared in Nausori Magistrate’s Court on Monday, facing a total of 17 charges related to rape and assault stemming from two alleged incidents involving a 14-year-old girl in 2020.
All parties involved, including the victim and the accused, are residents of the same village.
The first accused, a 22-year-old man, faces seven counts of rape, while the second accused, also 22, is charged with eight counts. A third individual, aged 24, is charged with one count of rape.
Additionally, a 25-year-old man and a 29-year-old man are jointly charged with one count of rape. In a separate case, the 29-year-old is also jointly charged with a 24-year-old man for assault causing actual bodily harm.
The accused were remanded by the court, and the case has been transferred to the High Court in Suva, with the next court date scheduled for October 1, 2024.