Guinean rape suspect arraigned, remanded in custody

A Guinean rape suspect who sparked a manhunt after escaping from police custody was remanded in custody this afternoon after he pleaded not guilty to raping a 23-year-old woman in St Julian’s.

Guinean Seykou Ballde was arrested on Monday at around 3am after officers of the Rapid Intervention Unit heard a woman’s scream as she was allegedly being raped in Paceville.

The man was subsequently taken to the St Julian’s police station, but managed to escape after slipping out of loose handcuffs. The suspect managed to run out of the back of the police station, which at street level, before being apprehended on Wednesday night at 11pm in Qawra.

Standing before Magistrate Audrey Demicoli, Ballde, who is a resident in St Paul’s Bay, pleaded not guilty to a total of 12 charges. He denied raping the woman on Monday, slightly injuring her, committing violent indecent assault on the woman, escaping from police custody, resisting arrest, slightly injuring a police officer, and refusing to give his details to the police.

Flanked by three police officers, Ballde also denied breaching bail conditions over another case in which he stands charged of beating a prostitute, of resisting arrest and assaulting police officers.

During his arraignment, Ballde said that there was mistake on his ID card as he was 22 not 32.

No request for bail was made and Ballde was consequently remanded in custody.

Police Inspector Trevor Micallef prosecuted. Lawyer Anthony Cutajar appeared as legal aid while Lawyer Peter Fenech appeared in parte civile for the alleged victim.