A Bulgarian man who is wanted in his country to serve a three-year prison term for rape, has been arrested in Malta. 

Tencho Gospodinov Tenev, 47, who lives in Żabbar and has a Malta residence permit, was arrested on Sunday evening on the strength of a European arrest warrant.  

During court proceedings on Tuesday, Gospodinov said he was not consenting to extradition.  

His lawyer, Roberto Montalto, explained they were contesting the claim by the District Prosecutor’s Office in Haskovo, pointing out that the prison term referred to a case that dated back 10 years.

The Bulgarian authorities had shown little interest in the man throughout all these years and had only decided to act now, the lawyer said.

Gospodinov had attended only one hearing of that rape case, without a personal lawyer, and had never heard about those proceedings since. He had no idea that that criminal case had gone against him.

The lawyer also observed that the case would have been time-barred within eight months. 

Montalto explained that his client had settled down in Malta with his wife and daughter six years ago, had a fixed job and paid his taxes and social contributions regularly.

“His life is now in Malta,” said Montalto, when making a request for bail.

However, the prosecution objected in view of the fact that Gospodinov was the subject of a definitive judgment.

These were not allegations and therefore there was no presumption of innocence, argued AG lawyer Ylenia Maria Abela.

Magistrate Leonard Caruana, turned down the request for bail at this stage.

Inspector Mark Galea was also assisted by AG lawyer Daphne Mallia.