A 27-year-old man from Niger was yesterday charged with violently raping a 13-year-old girl and, together with another Niger national, of defiling the same girl.

Jummah Mohammed Aka, 27, from Niger, pleaded not guilty to violently raping a 13-year-old girl, whose name cannot be published following a court ban on her name, in February in St Paul’s Bay.

Before presiding Magistrate Joseph Apap Bologna, Aka also pleaded not guilty to holding her against her will.

Aka and 21-year-old Abdallah Danganoma Omar were also charged with defiling the girl and corrupting her. Both men pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Defence lawyer Anthony Cutajar requested the court to grant his clients bail.

However, prosecution, led by Police Inspector Raymond Aquilina objected saying that the two men might approach the victim or the witness – who is also 13-years old.

Magistrate Apap Bologna refused to grant the two men bail and remanded them in preventive custody.

Police Inspectors Raymond Aquilina and Melvyn Camilleri prosecuted while Dr Anthony Cutajar appeared as legal aid for the two men.