A 55-year-old Tunisian businessman was charged with human trafficking and raping a Tunisian woman in Malta a year ago.
Mohamed El Herzi, who owns a textile company in Tunis and travels to Malta regularly, pleaded not guilty to human trafficking when he brought the woman to Malta a year ago.
He was also charged with holding the woman in Malta against her will, raping her and of violent indecent assault on and before September 3, 2014. The woman is in her late 20s. Mr El Herzi was remanded in police custody. Police inspector Joseph Busuttil prosecuted, while lawyer Joseph Mizzi represented the accused.