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Eight Years Prison For Youth Who Raped Ħamrun Couple On Same Day

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A 22-year-old man was sentenced to eight years in prison after being found guilty of raping an elderly couple in Ħamrun on the same day.

Abdel Yousef Abib, from Somalia, was arrested for committing this crime in July of last year. He was also charged with serious threats against the elderly couple and stealing the elderly man’s mobile phone, TVM reported.

Though at least one victim requested Abib be deported back to his home country, the courts said they couldn’t order that.

Worrying details from the case were revealed in court. 

The elderly man stated that Abib confronted them one evening, demanded something from him, pushed him, took his mobile phone, revealed his own genitalia before touching him on the behind and threatening him with a knife. Abib then hit him three times before inserting a finger into his behind.

The elderly woman stated that Abib threw her to the ground, undressed her, and put his hands inside of her private area.

The police arrested the young man and brought him to court where, initially, he denied the accusations, but later admitted to the crime.

The Attorney General requested a seven-year and nine-month prison sentence after reaching an agreement with the defense.

However, Magistrate Aaron Bugeja did not accept the plea agreement and stated that the sentence must be somewhat severe, considering, among other things, that the accused claimed to have been under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incidents.

Bugeja said that it does not matter if Abib had similar cases in his home country or in Malta.

He considered that the two victims were elderly and therefore vulnerable, and their will was violated.

Bugeja also stated that the incidents occurred on the street and during the night.

Apart from the eight-year prison sentence, Abib was also fined €5,940 for the costs of the appointed experts in the case.

Regarding the deportation request made by one of the victims, Bugeja said the courts had no authority to order the deportation of a person from Malta.

Bugeja noted that before 2004, Maltese courts had the authority to order deportation, but with the amendments introduced in 2004, deportation is now governed by different legal provisions from those under which Abib was charged.

Bugeja concluded the sentence by stating that justice will be served, and that anyone giving protection and safety within Malta should not abuse of it by harming the country’s citizens.

What do you make of this case?

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Johnathan is an award-winning Maltese journalist interested in social justice, politics, minority issues, music and food. Follow him at @supreofficialmt on Instagram, and send him news, food and music stories at [email protected]

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