Man arraigned over handbag theft

A Russian woman yesterday told a court how a Libyan man ran off with her handbag after grabbing her wrist and held a knife to her face when she tried to prise his hand off her.

Olesya Tokareva described how her assailant had tried to chat her up but when she rebuffed him, he followed her and robbed her.

She testified with urgency at the arraignment of Mohammed Elbozidi, 28, who pleaded not guilty to holding Tokareva against her will and stealing her handbag in Paceville last Saturday at about 1.30 a.m.

He also pleaded not guilty to keeping and carrying a penknife without a licence and at the time of the commission of the crime, committing a crime during the operative time of several suspended jail terms, breaching the conditions of a previous release and relapsing.

Tokareva explained she had been on her way to Swieqi from Paceville last Saturday at about 2 a.m. when Elbozidi approached her and tried to get acquainted with her.

She told him that she had to go and walked on but when she arrived in front of the cinema she heard someone shouting to her to stop.

She stopped, thinking it might be someone she knew but it was Elbozidi.

When he arrived next to her he grabbed her by her wrist, she put her other hand on his in an attempt to break loose but he got out a penknife from his pocket. She let go of his hand and he ran off with her handbag.

The case continues.

Police Inspectors Chris Pullicino and Robert Gregory prosecuted.

Dr José Herrera and Dr David Camilleri appeared for Elbozidi.