By Fiji reporter Lice Movono
In short:
(ABC-Australia) A Fijian man accused of the rape and sexual assault of a Virgin Airline crew member on New Year’s Eve has appeared in court in Nadi, Fiji.
Ilaisa Tanoa Degei, who faces up to 20 years in jail if convicted, was denied bail.
What’s next?
Mr Degei will appear in the High Court in Lautoka on January 20.
A 24-year-old Fijian man has faced a magistrates court in Nadi, Fiji, over the alleged rape and sexual assault of a Virgin Australia crew member in the south Pacific nation.
Ilaisa Tanoa Degei is accused of raping the 21-year-old Melbourne woman, who was in Fiji over New Year’s Eve as a crew member of a Virgin Australia flight during a layover.
Mr Degei was denied bail during his appearance in court on Monday afternoon. He will appear in the High Court in Lautoka on January 20.
If convicted, the farmer could serve up to 20 years in jail.
He was charged with one count of sexual assault and one count of digital rape.
According to police documents, the alleged victim was returning from a bar on Martintar, a popular entertainment district in Nadi, when police will allege that Mr Degei offered her a ride in his unregistered taxi.
He is alleged to have taken her to the entrance of her hotel and assaulted her there.
Police officers reportedly apprehended the suspect on the same night and, after two days of investigations, Mr Degei was charged. He has been in custody since Friday night.
In a separate incident, a male member of the same flight crew was robbed and sustained injuries after returning from the same club.
Police investigations into that incident continue.