24-year sentence for rapist who forced wife into prostitution

The Criminal Court has handed down a 24-year prison sentence to a man for domestic violence, marital rape on his pregnant wife and forcing her into prostitution.

The sentence was handed down by Madam Justice Consuelo Scerri Herrera yesterday evening, at the end of the 4-day trial by jury.

Jurors returned a guilty verdict against the 34-year-old Nigerian defendant, on all the heads of indictment after almost 6 hours of deliberation. 

The man cannot be identified in the press due to a court-imposed ban on the publication of the names of the parties.

Prosecutors Darlene Grima and Kaylie Bonett appeared for the Office of the Attorney General. Lawyer Simon Micallef Stafrace was appointed to assist the defendant as legal aid counsel.