Fijian Man Charged With Assaulting Flight Attendant

Ilaisa Tanoa Degei, a 24-year-old Fijian farmer, has been denied bail after being charged with the alleged rape and sexual assault of a 21-year-old Virgin Australia flight attendant on New Year’s Day in Nadi, Fiji. The incident reportedly occurred when Degei, posing as a taxi driver, offered the woman a ride home after she was separated from her crew during a night out, following Fiji’s strict 1am nightclub lockout laws. In a separate incident that night, another Virgin crew member was robbed and injured while searching for the assaulted woman. Both incidents are under investigation, with concerns raised about their potential impact on Fiji's tourism industry. The case is set to be escalated to the High Court, where Degei could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Bar One nightclub, frequented by the flight crew, clarified that the incidents did not occur in or around their establishment.