Six men were brought before the Nausori Magistrates Court, facing a total of 17 charges of rape and assault linked to two alleged incidents involving a 14-year-old girl back in 2020. All individuals, including the victim and the accused, belong to the same village.
The first defendant, aged 22, is charged with seven counts of rape, while the second, also 22, faces eight counts of the same offense. A third defendant, aged 24, has been charged with one count of rape. Additionally, a 25-year-old and a 29-year-old are jointly charged with one count of rape. In a separate case, the 29-year-old is also jointly charged with the third defendant for assault causing actual bodily harm.
All six accused have been remanded in custody, and their case has been moved to the Suva High Court, where it is scheduled to be heard again on October 1, 2024.