A 34-year-old Somali man was yesterday remanded in custody after pleading not guilty to raping his wife at their Gozo apartment on Tuesday evening.

The man, who is not being named to protect the identity of his wife, denied rape, violent indecent assault and holding her against her will in Marsalforn. The rape allegedly took place during an argument the couple were having after she threatened to leave him. She is believed to have had sex with him out of fear, sources close to the case said.

Magistrate Paul Coppini presided over the case. Police Inspectors Frank Tabone and Bernard Spiteri prosecuted.

This was the third Somali man to be arraigned over rape charges in recent days. On Friday, Abdiraman Abukar, 26, and Liban Mohamoud, 26, both of Floriana, denied raping a 21-year old Italian woman from Valletta.

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