Barbarians Rugby Player Api Ratuniyarawa Faces Sexual Assault Charges in Cardiff
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Api Ratuniyarawa, a prominent Barbarians rugby player, has made an appearance in court after being charged with sexual assault. The 37-year-old, hailing from Orchard, Kislingbury in Northampton, is accused of sexually assaulting three women at a Cardiff city center club during the night of October 31 to November 1.
The Fiji international, who was part of his country’s 2023 Rugby World Cup squad, had been named on the substitutes bench for the Wales v Barbarians game scheduled for today. He vehemently denied the allegations of sexually assaulting three women at the Revolution bar on Castle Street during the early hours of that fateful morning. Ratuniyarawa was on a night out with fellow Barbarian players at the time.
Appearing at Cardiff Magistrate’s Court on the morning of November 4, Ratuniyarawa spoke only to confirm his name. In court, Michael Evans, the prosecuting attorney, explained that the three alleged incidents happened independently, with the women not having prior connections with each other or with Ratuniyarawa before that night.
Magistrate Peter Hamley imposed strict bail conditions on Ratuniyarawa, pending his appearance at Cardiff Crown Court on December 4. These conditions include an electronic curfew from 7pm to 7am, a prohibition on entering Wales except for court proceedings, and a mandate not to contact any witnesses involved in the case. Furthermore, Ratuniyarawa is not allowed to enter licensed premises, including bars, clubs, and restaurants that serve alcohol.
A spokesperson for the Barbarians stated, “As soon as we were contacted by South Wales Police, we cooperated fully, assisting them with their inquiries. On their advice, we can’t comment any further as the investigation is ongoing.”
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