Man charged with extorting and threatening ex-partner through Instagram

A man has been charged with a number of offences, including extortion, after allegedly uploading Instagram content containing threats to his ex-partner and her father.

Police inspector Andy Rotin arraigned construction worker Kristiyan Slavcev Dakov, 26, from Bulgaria before Magistrate Leonard Caruana on Monday afternoon.

The police had investigated a series of insults and threats posted on Instagram from 19 May onwards, all of which were directed at the two alleged victims.

The accused is also understood to have uploaded a threatening video to the social media platform.

Dakov was arrested at his home in Birkirkara on the strength of a warrant issued by a magistrate as a result of the investigation.

Dakov was accused of having used psychological violence to isolate the victims and cause them to fear violence, threatening to commit a crime through electronic means, extortion, threatening to falsely accuse the victims of an offence and improper use of electronic telecommunications equipment.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges. His lawyers, Maurice Meli and Maronia Magri requested bail for the man, who the court was told has lived in Malta with his mother for the past 15 years. 

The magistrate, in view of the submissions and after having seen the relevant sections of the Criminal Code, acceded to the bail request, warning the accused not to deviate from the bail conditions which the court would be giving him.

He was ordered to sign a bail book every day and observe a curfew. Bail was secured by a deposit of €1,500 and personal guarantee of €5,000. Dakov was also warned not to post anything which could be interpreted as being directed at his alleged victims on social media. A protection order was also issued in favour of the alleged victims, prohibiting the man from following them.

Lawyer Maurice Meli and Maronia Magri were defence counsel, while lawyers Arthur Azzopardi and Jacob Magri appeared parte civile for the victims.