Man charged with detaining and sexually assaulting masseuse

A man has been remanded in custody after allegedly detaining and sexually assaulting a masseuse in his apartment.

Police Inspector Ian Vella and lawyer Darlene Grima from the Office of the Attorney General arraigned Vartak Ashutosh Chandrakant, 31, a software developer from India before magistrate Rachel Montebello on Monday.

Chadrakant was charged with committing a non-consensual sexual act on a Ukrainian woman at his apartment in Pieta, and holding her against her will in order to force her to perform or be subjected to acts offensive to her modesty.

Inspector Vella told the court that last Saturday the police had received a report from a Ukrainian national who reported the defendant as having locked her in his apartment, after grabbing her breasts and thighs when she had gone to carry out a massage.

The masseuse’s visit did not go as planned, however, as her client allegedly insisted that she perform a sex act on him.

The prosecution claimed that when the woman refused to do so, the defendant had grabbed her, groping her breasts and thighs. The man had released her when she threatened to call the police.

Once out of the apartment, the victim had then called the police, who arrived to find the apartment door locked. As luck would have it, the defendant’s flatmate turned up at that moment and unlocked the door.

Police found Chandrakant inside the apartment, lying on his bed.

A not guilty plea was entered on the man’s behalf by his lawyer, who informed the court that bail was not being requested at this stage. The court solicited the prosecution to summons the two civilian witnesses to testify at the first opportunity.