Police seek well-built, dark man

The 55-year-old woman who was brutally raped in the subway close to Portes des Bombes on Sunday morning had surgery in hospital yesterday, even as the police continued their hunt for the offender, who is believed to be a foreigner.

The police yesterday issued a description of the man they sought.

Police sources said the aggressor, who banged the woman's head against a billboard before dragging her down to the subway at around 6 a.m. on Sunday, spoke Maltese "with an Arabic accent".

The woman, who is married, regularly went walking early in the morning and the police are trying to establish whether the offender stalked her or if the case was "an opportunistic rape".

After she was raped, the woman told police, the offender kicked her repeatedly. The woman suffered a broken leg and has bruising on various parts of her body.

The police said they were looking for a well-built man with a dark complexion who was about 30 years old. The police said the man was clean shaven and had very short black hair, dark eyes and full lips.

There were two other cases of rape this year, both of which ended in court.

Vice squad police inspector Louise Calleja is investigating the case, with the assistance of Hamrun district police.

A magisterial inquiry is under way and several court experts, including clinical forensic physician Mario Scerri and Dr Yana Micallef Stafrace, have been appointed.

Anyone with any information about the case is asked to phone 2122 4001. Confidentiality is guaranteed.