Two Tongan seasonal workers, Suliasi Fangatua (30) and Taniela Siale (22), both pleaded guilty to violently abducting and raping a 35-year-old woman in February last year, when they appeared before the Dunedin District Court in Otago, New Zealand yesterday 16 January.

The rape occurred on 3 February by Lake Dunstan in Cromwell, Central Otago, near orchards where the pair were working.

Incriminating evidence in the case included surveillance CCTV footage and DNA swabs from the woman that matched with Siale, while DNA taken from a hoodie turned up DNA from both men as well as the victim.

According to a local newspaper, The Otago Daily, Fangatua and Siale were nearing the end of their working calenders when they went out for drink at a local pub early on February 3. They met the victim outside the pub who was wanting to get home. The pair agreed to drive her home and walked her over to a car park before dragging her towards a lake where the rape occurred.

As she was being hauled towards the lake in the darkness, the woman managed to message her partner saying “help”. The victim was stripped naked, pinned down to the ground and had her mouth covered by one of the accused. Both Fangatua and Siale proceeded to sexually violate her in an ordeal that lasted more than a hour.

The victim escaped after telling them that she would not tell anyone, and fled with an assailant's hoodie when they let go of her.

Fangatua and Siale will be sentenced in April.