Koni Tiemoko Abdoul Khader, one of the three youths accused of hijacking the tanker El Hiblu I, has been placed on the international wanted list when he failed to appear in court this morning. Police reported that he hadn’t signed his bail book for the past six weeks.During Wednesday morning’s session before Magistrate Nadine Lia, Inspector Omar Zammit informed the court that Abdoul Khader did not receive a summons for the day’s hearing as he couldn’t be located.

According to Zammit, the youth last signed his bail book at the beginning of August. Defense lawyer Neil Falzon explained that they had last been in contact with the young man via WhatsApp in August. He also stated that he had received an email from Khader’s probation officer, informing him that they were unable to contact the client. Meanwhile, another defense lawyer, Gianluca Cappitta, informed that he had last heard from the defendant in June.One of the other defendants, Amara, informed the Magistrate that the pair shared an apartment, but he had also last seen Khader in August. The third accused, Abdalla, did not reside with the other two.

Magistrate Lia dictated a note to the Commissioner of Police, demanding an explanation as to why the court was only informed on the day that one of the defendants hadn’t signed his bail book for at least six weeks, despite the obligation to sign three times a week.

The court granted the prosecution’s request to issue a European Arrest Warrant and an International Arrest Warrant for Khader.

The case has been adjourned to later this month.