Rape suspect back in court after absconding eight years ago
A 15-year-old girl was made to have sex after being threatened with the publication of compromising photos
Eight years after being charged with raping a 15-year-old girl, a man appeared in court again on Wednesday after he left Malta in breach of his bail conditions before the case against him could be completed.
Mazhar Mushtaq, 35, from Pakistan appeared before Magistrate Claire Strafrace Zammit on the strength of the European Arrest Warrant issued in February 2023. He was found in Genoa and brought to Malta to face the charges he was arraigned under in 2018.
Back then, the court heard how the 15-year-old girl was made to have sex with him after he threatened to publish nude photos and videos of her.
Mushtaq was charged with rape, forcing the girl to participate in porn, participating in sexual activities with an underage girl through violence, misuse of telecommunications equipment and producing child pornography.
He is pleading not guilty.
The alleged crimes involved the use of social media platforms Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat.
In 2018 Magistrate Stafrace Zammit heard how Mushtaq had allegedly become fixated on the girl after meeting her a few times. When she refused to meet him again, he had used three fake social media accounts to pretend he was a third party and demand that she get back with him or compromising photographs and videos would be published.
The 15-year-old was allegedly coaxed into meeting him again by the prospect of the images being deleted if she had sex with the accused in a hotel room, the court was told.
When the accused did not turn up for court sittings, the warrant was issued. The accused was found in Genoa and brought to Malta.
The prosecution, led by Inspector Marshal Mallia then filed an application, in the original proceedings, informing the court about the breach of bail and asking for bail to be revoked. The court will be ruling on the matter on Friday.
Meanwhile, the accused, represented by lawyers Franco Debono and Herman Mula, was granted additional bail conditions to his original conditions, which include that he must sign twice a day at the Birkirkara police station. He was bound by a personal guarantee of €10,000.