Fiji Sun

A 20-year-old man from Suva charged with rape and defile­ment of a minor has been further remanded in custo­dy by the Suva Magistrates Court.

The accused appeared before Magistrate Asanga Bodaragama yesterday.

He is charged with one count of rape and five counts of defilement of young persons between 13 and 16 years of age.

It is alleged that between November 24 and Decem­ber 10, 2018, the accused had carnal knowledge of a 14-year-old girl without her consent.

Police prosecutor Walter Taito served full phase dis­closures to the accused.

The lawyer of the accused sought another date for the plea to be taken, but was told that rape was an indict­able offence.

Magistrate Bodaragama then transferred the mat­ter to the High Court and remanded the accused in custody.

The matter was adjourned to January 25, for first call in the High Court.

Edited by Epineri Vula

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