Church pastor expected to go on trial for alleged sexual assault

A Fijian church pastor at the Wellington chapter of the Kingdom Ambassadors International Fellowship, a splinter group of the All Nations Christian Fellowship in Fiji is expected to go on a trial for allegedly sexually assaulting two young girls.

According to Stuff.com 41-year-old Jone Conikeli has pleaded not guilty to charges including rape, assault with intent to rape, and indecent assault.

Police confiscated his passport to prevent him returning to Fiji.

Conikeli was arrested and charged in October in relation to alleged sexual offending against two young girls who were under the age of 12 years and 16 years at the time.

Conikeli has been permitted to continue bail and is to appear in Wellington District Court in March, ahead of a trial.