Jurors acquit man accused of raping his ex-wife

Jurors have acquitted a man accused of raping his estranged wife on Christmas Eve in 2018 after they believed his claim that the sex was consensual.

The Libyan man had been indicted for marital rape, after a sexual encounter with his estranged Maltese wife at his apartment in Sliema. He faced a possible jail term of between seven and 12 years.

The accused had insisted that while the sex had happened, there was consent, and that the moment she asked him to stop, he had complied. The alleged victim claims that he did not stop.

The week-long trial culminated in a 7-2 verdict by jurors, who believed the man's version. His lawyers, Mario Mifsud and Christian Camilleri, argued that there was reasonable doubt as to the woman’s rape claim.

The couple had a son in common and there were custody issues, they said, claiming that the woman may have had ulterior motives.

Names have been withheld on court order.

Mr Justice Aaron Bugeja presided.