Man accused of raping his ex is released on bail as judge finally receives court records

A man accused of raping his ex-partner when she came to his apartment to collect her engagement ring after their separation has finally been released on bail after a judge received the court transcripts she requested.

The bail hearing had to be postponed twice last week because the transcripts were not ready in time.

Judge Consuelo Scerri Herrera last week fined the court administration 250 euros after finding it in contempt of court for ignoring a request to provide transcripts of the victim’s testimony so the court could rule on a request for bail.

The judge yesterday allowed an appeal from the criminal court after finding that the transcripts had finally been submitted and the accused could be granted bail.

A 27-year-old Norwegian i-Gaming employee, whose name cannot be published by court order, was granted release on bail of 10,000 euros and an additional personal guarantee of 10,000 euros. The man denies the charges.

Judge Scerri Herrera ordered that the man not speak to any of the witnesses, not sign the bail book daily, and must be home between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. the next morning. She also ordered that he not change his address or leave his job until the trial is over.

“Cannot board a boat and leave the coast”

According to the conditions of his bail, he is also not allowed to “board a boat or leave the coast of the island of Malta without any reason”.

The man was denied bail at the first arraignment on April 29. Two weeks later, the woman gave extensive testimony at the first evidentiary hearing before Judge Lara Lanfranco. However, the defendant was again denied bail.

The man’s lawyers, Franco Debono, Marion Camilleri and Adreana Zammit, asked the High Court to grant their client bail once the prosecution’s main witness had testified and her version had been confirmed under oath in court.

However, when Judge Scerri Herrera called the motion, the bail hearing could not take place because the court did not have a transcript of the alleged victim’s statement.

“Transcripts required”

The judge adjourned the hearing and ordered that court administrators be informed that the transcripts were needed for the bail hearing. However, when the case was called, the judge was informed that no transcripts had been received.

This angered Judge Scerri Herrera, who described this behavior as “unacceptable” and “tantamount to contempt of court.” She said she was unable to examine the request “due to these administrative problems that are unacceptable for the administration of justice.”

The judge also complained about a “lack of cooperation between the court administration and the criminal court,” which in her opinion led to “serious disruptions in the administration of justice.”

All audio recordings of court proceedings are transcribed and included in the file. The issuance of transcripts of court proceedings has been a recurring problem in court in recent years. Delays in the transcription of witness statements led to serious administrative deficiencies and violated the basic rights of the accused, as they had to remain in custody for additional days.