Court refuses oral bail bid in rape case

An 18-year-old Suva man appeared at the High Court on Friday charged with rape.

The complainant is the man’s 17-year-old biological sister. The 18-year-old accused appeared before Justice Daniel Goundar on Friday and tried to file an oral bail application.

He is charged with one count each of rape and sexual assault. The complainant is a student while the accused is a farmer.

Justice Goundar refused the oral bail application because the proposed surety is the biological father of the accused and the complainant. The accused was remanded in custody. Justice Goundar told the defence lawyer to file a formal bail application. The State lawyer was granted 21 days to file information and disclosures. The matter was adjourned to October 16 for plea. A production order was issued for the accused to be present in court for his plea. that Navugona had five active cases and Waqa was a first offender. She told the court that there were no confessions in the caution interview. Ms Lodhia said she had four witnesses and was ready to proceed with the trial proper.

The defence lawyer told the court they did not agree to the proposed agreed facts and would challenge all the witnesses in the trial proper. The two accused were remanded in custody and a production order was issued for them to be present in court. Ashna Kumar Ashna Kumar