Woman Charged With Stabbing Ex In Żabbar Kitchen After He Tried To Rape Her Gets Off On Self-Defence
A Maltese woman was charged with stabbing her ex-boyfriend who had allegedly tried to rape her but she won the case after the magistrate ruled that she acted in self-defence.
Police pressed charges against Sarah* over the incident that took place at her Żabbar home back in May 2019 and which culminated in her ex-boyfriend Fares* getting stabbed in the underbelly.
During court proceedings, Sarah testified that she had dated Fares for a few month and that he didn’t take the breakup lightly, often following her around.
She filed multiple police reports against him for harassment but no action was taken.
At one point, she and her son moved to a Żabbar apartment specifically because it was close to the police station and Sarah was afraid that Fares could attack her.
On 14th May 2019, at around 6am, Fares knocked on her front door and she opened for him after he said he wanted to speak. However, once inside, he told her that he wanted to have sex with him but she refused and warned him that she was going to call the police.
Fares reacted by punching her in the face, grabbing her by the neck and shaking her around, but Sarah managed to break free. Fearing that she was about to get raped, she ran into the kitchen and grabbed a knife.
According to her testimony, Fares followed her into the kitchen, grabbed the knife and ended up stabbing himself in the underbelly.
Fares then left the building and visited a friend, who drove him to a health centre, where medics informed the police that he had been stabbed. Police arrested Sarah and she was charged with assault.
During proceedings, Fares opted against testifying so as to avoid self-incrimination, meaning magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo could only rely on Sarah’s version of events.
She therefore ruled that the accused had acted in self-defence and acquitted her of the charges.
*While these are their true first names, their surnames have been concealed
Cover photo: Żabbar police station
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