A Fijian man accused of raping a Virgin Australia crew member on New Year’s Day has been granted bail.
Ilaisa Tanoa Degei, 24, was charged with one count of rape and one count of sexual assault after he allegedly attacked the 21-year-old flight attendant.
The woman had been celebrating New Year’s Eve with colleagues in Nadi, an international gateway to Fiji’s most popular tourist destinations on the western side of the nation’s main island.
Degei faced the Lautoka High Court on Monday where he applied for bail, according to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Bail was granted to him with sureties of $1500 and strict conditions that he must live in his village and not change his address without the approval of the court.
He is also not allowed to leave Fiji.
The matter will return to court on February 24 for a plea mention.
The Australian government advises exercising normal safety precautions when travelling to Fiji – the lowest of four official risk ratings.
Fijian farmer Ilaisa Tanoa Degei (pictured) allegedly raped a 21-year-old Virgin Australia flight attendant on New Year’s Day
The female member of a Virgin Australia flight crew was allegedly sexually assaulted outside the Bar One nightspot in Nadi on Fiji’s west coast
Several Virgin staff members allegedly aired complaints about the safety of overnight accommodation in the lead up to the alleged rape of a flight attendant (stock image)
‘Crime in Fiji includes robbery, theft, violent assault, sexual assault and home invasions,’ the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Smartraveller website states.
‘Most crime is opportunistic. The highest risk is in urban areas and at night.’
