A Vanuatu fruit picker living in Australia on a foreign worker visa has been accused of raping a teenage girl in tropical Far North Queensland.
Claude Kalo allegedly raped the girl in Mareeba, a town with a population of approximately 12,000, about 65km southwest of Cairns on the Atherton Tablelands,
The 31-year-old, who was staying in nearby Dimbulah, appeared at Atherton Magistrates Court on March 7 when he was remanded in custody.
He has been charged with rape, assault with intent to commit rape and indecent treatment of a child under 16.
Vanuatuan fruit picker Claude Kalo (above) has been accused of raping a teenage girl while on a seasonal foreign work visa in tropical Far North Queensland
Kalo is a fitness fanatic who once represented Vanuatu in judo and previously lived in the Northern Rivers region of NSW.
He is the second foreign fruit picker to be charged with rape while working in Australia in the past two months.
Daily Mail Australia contacted five members of Mareeba Shire Council, including Mayor Angela Toppin, and none had heard of the alleged rape in their town.
Councilor Locky Bensted said he was shocked to learn of the allegation, which he expected to rock the community when it became known.
“There are many large families who have called Mareeba home for many generations,” he said. ‘They will be completely shocked by this, as I am.
‘We are a multicultural agricultural and business community with over 77 different cultures, all of whom live and live here.
‘The community will be outraged when this comes out, that’s for sure.’
Councilor Danny Bird said when news of the alleged rape reached the community, “they’re going to go crazy”.
Councilor Mario Mlikota said: ‘I think there will definitely be anger’.
Kalo is a fitness fanatic who represented Vanuatu in judo and previously lived in the Northern Rivers region of NSW
Another local source said up to 300 workers from Vanuatu lived and worked in the Mareeba region, picking produce including bananas, mangoes and avocados.
The Vanuatuan presence increased as backpackers were unable to travel to the area during the Covid-19 pandemic and farmers turned to the Pacific Islands for help.
Most of the Vanuatuan workforce is temporarily employed under the Pacific Australia Labor Mobility (PALM) visa scheme, with numbers peaking over the summer.
Visa holders often stay on the farms where they work, but some live in shared accommodation in towns including Mareeba and Dimbulah.
Queensland Police Service would not provide any details about the alleged attack on the teenage girl, including when it allegedly took place.
“Given the age of the (alleged) victim and that this case will be the subject of a closed legal process, we are not at liberty to provide any further information,” a spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia.
‘Ultimately, we see it as our role to protect the identity of all victims, especially where a child is involved.’
Claude Kalo allegedly raped a teenage girl in Mareeba (above), a town with a population of approximately 12,000 about 65 km southwest of Cairns on the Atherton Tablelands
QPS did not issue a media statement at the time about the girl’s alleged rape or the man’s arrest and the charges he faces.
“On occasions you will see us release information in cases where there has been an adult victim if we believe it is in the public interest or if we believe there may be additional victims who may come forward,” the spokeswoman said .
‘But never in cases where there is an (alleged) child victim.’
The PALM scheme encourages workers to come to Australia from countries including Samoa, Vanuatu, Tonga and Kiribati, as well as Timor-Leste and Papua New Guinea.
Visa holders can work in Australia for up to nine months in a 12-month period before returning to their home countries, and can return in subsequent years.
A Samoan fruit picker who worked near Arrawarra on the NSW mid-north coast earlier this year after the alleged rape of a teenage girl. Pickers are pictured near Arrawarra
A Samoan fruit picker working on a PALM visa was arrested on the NSW mid-north coast earlier this year for the alleged rape of a teenage girl.
The police charged the 25-year-old Samoan citizen Agaalofa Agaalofa on January 30 with aggravated sexual assault – deprivation of liberty and aggravated robbery.
The teenager allegedly reported being dragged into bushes and raped in broad daylight on November 10 while walking home near Arrawarra Beach.
Up to 400 foreign workers live close to Arrawarra and share transport to work in the fields planted by Costa Berries at Corindi, about 5km to the north.
Arrawarra is otherwise a popular destination for surfers, backpackers and caravan holidaymakers who flock to the village for its idyllic waterside location.
Locals have complained about episodes of drunkenness and aggressive behavior by some of the seasonal workers, who they claim are turning the place into a shantytown.
After the alleged rape, the migrant workers were moved out of the holiday park and sent back to their home countries or elsewhere in Australia.
A local in Mareeba said up to 300 workers from Vanuatu lived and worked on the region’s farms (above), picking produce including bananas, mangoes and avocados.
NSW Police did not issue a press release when Agaalofa was charged.
Another Samoan berry picker was initially accused of raping the girl and spent two months in jail before Agaalofa was arrested at Dirty Creek, about 12km northeast of Arrawarra.
When Agaalofa faced a judge the next day, police prosecutor Jack Chaffey said the results of DNA testing had ‘significantly changed’ the direction of the investigation.
Agaalofa, who does not speak English, had been staying at Arrawarra Beach Holiday Park and was employed picking blueberries on the Costa farm.
Sergeant Chaffey told the court that a mobile phone belonging to the teenager had been taken during her alleged rape and traced to Agaalofa’s residence.
Agaalofa’s DNA matched evidence collected from a sexual assault kit completed by the teenager, Sergeant Chaffey told the court.
The court also heard that a female DNA profile had been discovered on clothing found at Agaalofa’s residence and identified by the alleged victim as hers.
Sergeant Chaffey said Agaalofa had committed several ‘heinous’ acts of sex against the teenager during a prolonged assault, the ABC reported.
‘The (alleged) victim made efforts to fight back and call for assistance but was physically overpowered,’ Sergeant Chaffey told the court.
Agaalofa’s lawyer John Hennessy said his client rejected the police statement of facts about the alleged rape and would contest the charges when he applied for bail.
Sir. Hennessy said Agaalofa had never met the teenager and had recently been living in Grafton where he was busy picking berries.
Magistrate Hugh Donnelly remanded Agaalofa in custody after expressing concern over his failure to appear in court.
Agaalofa will return to Coffs Harbor Local Court on March 27.
Kalo, who is being held at Lotus Glen Correctional Center 25km south of Mareeba, will appear in Mareeba Magistrates Court on May 7.
A Home Affairs spokeswoman said the department did not discuss individual cases and referred inquiries about the PALM scheme to the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR).
A DEWR spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia: ‘As both cases are now before the courts, it would be inappropriate for the department to comment’.