A man accused of raping and sexually assaulting an airline crew member in Fiji is expected to appear in court today.
According to local media sources, he will appear before the Nadi Magistrate’s Court on Monday and his case could be referred to the country’s High Court due to the seriousness of his alleged crimes.
The man was charged on Saturday following the alleged rape and sexual assault of a 21-year-old Virgin Australia flight crew member on New Year’s Day in Nadi, an international gateway to Fiji’s most popular tourist destinations. .
Their group had gone to a nightclub district in the city before a member was allegedly assaulted outside the popular Bar One nightclub and the 21-year-old was sexually assaulted in separate incidents.
Fresh claims have emerged that the man accused of rape had offered the young woman a lift back to her hotel by posing as a taxi driver, the Daily Telegraph reports.
The woman, who had been separated from her friends, was trying to return home after the nightclub locked out at 1am when she was allegedly tricked into getting into the man’s car.
Police investigations are ongoing.
Bar One issued a statement Sunday following the incident.
A female Virgin Australia flight crew member was allegedly sexually assaulted outside the Bar One nightspot in Nadi, on Fiji’s west coast, in the early hours of Wednesday morning, while a male colleague was assaulted and had have to go to the hospital to receive treatment for a facial injury
“We would like to address the recent incident involving two Virgin Airlines crew members,” Bar One said in a social media post.
‘While we recognize the seriousness of the situation, we believe it is important to clarify that this incident did not take place inside Bar One or in the vicinity of our establishment.
‘Virgin Airlines crew are regular customers of Bar One and we have never experienced similar incidents in the past, so it is disheartening to see our establishment portrayed in a negative light due to circumstances not directly related to our bar. ‘
Local politicians are concerned that these incidents could damage Fiji’s tourism-dependent economy, especially after seven visitors, including four Australians, fell ill after drinking cocktails at a five-star resort in December.
But the Australian government’s tourism website has not changed its advice for the Pacific nation.
It maintains that Australians should take normal safety precautions and highlights the potential for crime, noting that the greatest risk occurs in urban areas and at night.
Virgin crew members stayed at their hotel near Nadi International Airport after the incidents and the airline sent support staff to Fiji.
The crew members returned to Australia last week.
Government advice for traveling to Fiji has not changed following alleged assaults on Virgin Australia crew. (Photos by Dave Hunt/AAP)
The alleged incidents came just weeks after Fiji attracted negative headlines around the world when seven tourists, including four Australians, were hospitalized after drinking pina coladas at a bar at the luxury Warwick Resort last month.
Four Australian women aged between 18 and 56 ended up in critical condition in hospital after consuming the drinks at the five-star resort.
They suffered nausea, vomiting and neurological symptoms, with one victim’s friend telling Daily Mail Australia she was “frothing at the mouth” and having seizures.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Support Service for Reparation and Sexual Abuse 1800 211 028