A 24-YEAR-OLD man appeared at the Suva Magistrates Court yesterday charged with rape.
Zainal Haroon, of Suva, who faces three counts of rape, was granted bail.
Mr Haroon appeared before Magistrate Chaitanya Lakshman before his case was transferred to the High Court.
The court heard the accused allegedly committed the offences between November 2011 and March last year.
State lawyer Maddona Fong objected to bail applied by defence lawyer Wasu Pillay but Mr Lakshman said the application was strong enough.
Mr Haroon was allowed bail for the sum of $5000 with two sureties, his father Mohammed Haroon and close family friend Steven Naidu. The court heard the accused is from a good family and his father is a respected businessman.
The sureties told the court they understood their responsibility.
Under his bail conditions, Mr Haroon is to report to the Samabula Police Station twice a week.
A domestic violence restraining order has also been issued against him for the safety of the complainant.
The court also ordered him not to interfere, threaten or assault the complainant as well as not to interfere with State witnesses.
Magistrate Lakshman refused a defence application for name suppression.
The case has been adjourned to March 15 in the High Court in Suva.