Six men appeared before the Nausori Magistrates Court yesterday, facing a total of 17 charges related to rape and assault in connection with two separate cases involving a 14-year-old girl from 2020.
The accused and the victim all hail from the same village. The first accused, a 22-year-old man, faces seven charges of rape, while another 22-year-old is charged with eight counts. A 24-year-old man is 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 another 24-year-old for an incident of assault causing actual bodily harm.
All six men have been remanded in custody, and their cases have been transferred to the Suva High Court, with the next court date set for October 1, 2024.