Six men faced charges in the Nausori Magistrate’s Court on Monday, with a total of 17 counts related to rape and assault in two incidents involving a 14-year-old girl that occurred in 2020. All involved parties are from the same village.
The first defendant, a 22-year-old man, is charged with seven counts of rape, while another 22-year-old man faces eight counts of rape. A 24-year-old man is charged with one count of rape. Meanwhile, 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 charged alongside the 24-year-old with assault causing actual bodily harm.
All defendants were presented in court and remanded. The case has been transferred to the High Court in Suva, where it is scheduled to be heard again on October 1, 2024.