Man in court accused of raping tourist

An Opotiki man charged with raping a French hitchhiker at gunpoint has been remanded in custody for a bail hearing next month.

Teiro Nagg Kitai, 32, denied two charges of unlawful sexual connection, indecent assault, abduction of a man for sex and unlawful possession of a firearm, when he appeared in Opotiki District Court.

It was alleged that Kitai picked up the French man who was hitchhiking on May 14.

Kitai then took the man to a party and offered him a place to stay later that night, the court was told.

Police alleged Kitai forced the man to perform various sexual acts at gunpoint.

He was remanded in custody to reappear in the Opotiki court on July 2.

- NZPA