Woman cried, ‘I want to get off,’ taxi driver tells court

A taxi driver told the High Court in Lautoka that a woman began crying and told him, “I don’t like it. I want to get off,” during a late-night ride following New Year celebrations in Nadi.

The evidence was heard on the second day of the rape and sexual assault trial involving 25-year-old former Fiji Virgin Australia flight attendant Ilaisa Tanoa Degei.

Degei faces one count each of rape and sexual assault over an incident allegedly involving the complainant after celebrations on December 31, 2024.

The trial is before Justice Sunil Sharma.

The first prosecution witness, a taxi driver, told the court he picked up a man and woman outside Bar One nightclub in Martintar and drove them towards the Tanoa International Hotel junction.

He said the woman appeared distressed during the journey and asked to get out when they reached the hotel junction.

After dropping the pair near the junction, the driver said he reported the incident to police because of his concerns about the woman’s crying and behaviour.

Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Alifereti Waqavakatoga, the driver confirmed he did not know either passenger and had no knowledge of their relationship.

He also confirmed he did not see any force or coercion when the passengers entered or left the taxi and did not hear the woman complain of rape, assault or kidnapping.

The driver acknowledged that he could not continuously observe the passengers while driving and did not know what had caused the woman’s distress.

The second witness, police constable Nemani Cavu, told the court he and other officers were on mobile patrol when a taxi driver alerted them to a man allegedly pulling a woman towards a mango tree near the hotel junction.

Constable Cavu said police went to the area and intervened after hearing the woman call for help. He later arrested Degei.

However, under cross-examination, Constable Cavu accepted that police arrived after the initial interaction between the man and woman and that he only saw the man pulling the woman towards the mango tree.

He agreed the area was illuminated and that police observed the incident briefly from inside their vehicle.

No visible injuries were observed, and the officer said he could not give evidence about what happened before police arrived.

The defence is expected to challenge the circumstances surrounding the alleged incident and the limits of what the witnesses actually observed.

Degei is represented by Waqavakatoga, while the State is represented by Laisiasa Baleilevuka and John Vaurasi. The trial continues today.