A man in Australia is standing trial after a woman was found n@k3d on a suburban street, and later told police she had been held captive, ass@ulted and r@ped over a two-day period.
The case was heard before a jury at the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory, where prosecutors outlined allegations against 46-year-old Sisituutuumata Fulivai, who has pleaded not guilty to 20 charges
Police told the court they were on patrol in the Canberra suburb of Lyneham on the evening of June 10, 2024, when a naked woman ran toward them screaming for help. Officers said she appeared terrified and told them she believed she was going to die.
According to prosecutors, the woman, who was in her mid-20s, had met Fulivai through a mutual friend days earlier. What she initially believed was a consensual encounter allegedly escalated after friends visited the home, triggering jealousy and violent behaviour.
Jurors were told the woman was repeatedly beaten for hours with household items, including metal objects and furniture, and suffered visible bruising across her body. In recorded police interviews played in court, she described being struck continuously whenever she tried to explain herself or ask to leave.
Prosecutors said the woman was stripped naked, threatened with a knife, and violently restrained despite repeatedly begging to be released. She also alleged she was choked until she lost consciousness on multiple occasions and later woke to being sexually assaulted
The court heard claims that Fulivai threatened to kill both the woman and her family, allegedly telling her he expected to return to prison and did not care about the consequences.
The woman said she eventually escaped when the suspect fell asleep. She described waking during daylight, quietly leaving the house, and running into the street screaming for help, where police intercepted her within moments.
The trial is expected to continue throughout the week, with further evidence and testimony to be presented to the jury.
