DJ accused of rape gets bail a month after his arrest

A Colombian DJ charged with rape has been granted bail against a €40,000 bail bond, after spending a month in preventive custody.

The 32-year-old, who cannot be named due to a court-imposed ban, had been arraigned on October 13, accused of luring a woman, who had previously made a song request at his DJ booth, to his home in Paceville and forcing her to have sex with him.

After he was remanded in custody upon arraignment, the accused changed lawyers. His new legal counsel, lawyers Roberto Montalto and Roberto Spiteri filed a bail application to the Criminal Court.

The Attorney General had objected to the request for bail, arguing that there was a real risk of the accused absconding as he had no ties to the island.

But in a decree handed down on 12 November, Madame Justice Edwina Grima observed that by then, the victim and other civilian witnesses had testified. The accused’s German girlfriend had also offered to act as a guarantor.

The court released the man from arrest, ordering him not to contact the victim or prosecution witnesses and not to commit another voluntary offence whilst on bail. He is to sign a bail book daily and observe a curfew. His bail is secured with a €10,000 deposit and a personal guarantee of €30,000