The first prosecution witness in the All Nations Church leader Reverend Epeli Ratabacaca’s case maintained in court today that she met Ratabacaca on 1st June last year at a massage parlour in Sports City.
However, Defense Counsel Filimoni Vosarogo said that his client was not in Suva that day but the woman whose identity has not been disclosed maintained that she was with him.
Vosarogo said that on 2nd June, Ratabacaca was on a return trip from Lakeba, Lau, and that on the following day his client was on a flight to New Zealand.
He referred to a police statement that the witness gave to the police on 15th of July and a further statement she gave on 2nd August where she mentioned about what had happened on 22nd of June last year.
Vosarogo then said there is no reference in the police statement that she told her husband about the incident.
The woman said that she told everything about what had happened on the first three days.
Reverend Ratabacaca who is charged with one count of indecent assault and two counts of rape has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The case will continue on Monday.
Meanwhile, in court earlier this morning, the prosecution witness broke into tears saying that she was raped by Ratabacaca on 22nd June.
Story by: Tokasa Rainima & Praneeta Prakash
