Friday, 21st November 2008

Three charged with Gozo gang rape

Three Gozitan men were yesterday charged with gang-raping a 21-year-old woman in a construction site in Qala early on Wednesday morning.

The three men appeared before Magistrate Paul Coppini and pleaded not guilty.

Despite the prosecution's objections, they were granted bail.

Paul Xerri, 46, from Xagħra, Mark Cutajar, 31, and Aaron Camilleri, 28, both from Nadur, pleaded not guilty to raping the woman, who is from Qala, holding her against her will and slightly injuring her.

Police Inspector Josric Mifsud, prosecuting, objected to a request for bail arguing that important prosecution witnesses still had to testify. Furthermore, there was the possibility that the accused would tamper with the evidence.

However, the court upheld the request and granted Mr Xerri and Mr Camilleri bail against a deposit of €1,000 and a €2,000 personal guarantee. Mr Cutajar, who the court heard is believed to have been the mastermind behind the gang rape, was granted bail against a deposit of €2,000 and a personal guarantee of €4,000.

Lawyers Manuel Mallia and Anton Refalo were defence counsel.

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Article © Allied Newspapers Ltd., printed on Sunday, November 22, 2009. This article is for personal use only, and should not be distributed.

Comments

Joseph Schembri (on 24/11/08)

@John Schembri: Thanks John. It's odd how so many people confuse the names Joe and John - I'm often called John in fact!

John Schembri (on 23/11/08)

@ John Azzopardi : I think you meant Joseph Schembri.

Joseph Schembri (on 23/11/08)

@John Azzopardi: But you see they are not Criminals! We have it in the constitution: Those three men are presumed innocent until proven otherwise! And by the way, what will you do now that you have their names? How do you propose to protect yourself from them?

As for building holiday complexes in Gozo - go head and do it if you want to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. We have done it in Malta - if you can't learn from our mistakes then you deserve what you'll get.

Valhmor A. Zammit (on 23/11/08)

All this hullabaloo about the place where the crime took place. The plain fact is that a 21year old was gangraped by 3 men. End of story. The shameful fact is that they were released on a pittance!

Franco Farrugia (on 23/11/08)

The question about Gozo, I think, is a simple one.

The newspaper mentioned Gozo as it would have mentioned any other town or village in Malta.

Besides, I, personally, would never expect such things to happen in 'idyllic', 'peaceful' and 'calm' Gozo. Of course, facts are proving me right.

This does not mean that the worst atrocities are taking place on our sister-island. However, given the population there and also given the traditional 'silence' that permeates around the closely-knit society in Gozo, one would have a justified cause to be anxious. At least, on mainland Malta, there is no such 'silence' and what you see is what you get. In Gozo, it is not like that.

John Azzopardi (on 23/11/08)

To John Schembri comment......."most Gozitans know that we are their bread and butter with our internal tourism". I say Baloney. As we all know, there is some impact on so called maltese tourism in gozo. But if we gozitans are allowed to build hotel complexes like those in Malta, we will attract more international tourism like Malta does. The same way maltese come to Gozo, if we had proper tourist complexes, the tourist would definitely prefer Gozo as we have seen numerous times. But no, they want to keep them in Malta and bring them over for one day in Gozo. this way the maltese will make sure that the Maltese not the gozitan businessmen will benefit. By not approving major tourist projects, gozo will continue to lag behind. What Gozo needs is what it is due, whether EU funds or otherwise. It is because of this why so many Gozitans had to emigrate and still do to this day, whether to a foreing country ot to find a job in Malta.
Now as for naming names, yes, names should be published. Why allow criminals to run rampant in our midst

Simon Azzopardi (on 23/11/08)

I can't believe how petty us Maltese have become. 3 girls gets raped and the issue is that Gozo was mentioned to clarify where the rape happened. Gozo is, like anywhere in the world, a place where crime does happen. And if it does happen, the papers are merely reporting and not attacking the island. Get over yourselves!

t farrugia (on 23/11/08)

innocent until proven guilty. let's see the verdict before commenting

Joseph Schembri (on 23/11/08)

@Jeff Rogers: It's normal for very close countries to try and belittle each other. If you are British you will surely know about the rivalry and 'friendly' animosity between the English and the Scots and the Irish and the English. Just a little example - when in the North of England I half jokingly asked some people in a pub why they are so proud of Hadrian's wall and their reply was that it keeps out the Scots!

A.Attard (on 23/11/08)

@Laurance

Trying to make fun of gozitans? bdw your imitation is no way to how we speak. you suck

A J Muscat (on 22/11/08)

This is unbelievable!!! Who cares where this took place and how the paper reports it?! The real drama here is that a 21 year old woman's life has probably been irreparably shattered... Let us not be so petty for the love of God!

Jeff Rogers (on 22/11/08)

i don't want to appear to be rude or nosey, but when in Malta i say to the Maltese that i prefer Gozo to Malta because i think the people are friendlier and very helpful and they got time to stop and start a friendly conversation and their reply would be 5 times out of 10 rather a negative attitude towards the Gozitans , vice versa when in Gozo their attitude seems to reflect the same as the Maltese, now is it my imagination or do i see things wrong., there seems to be a wide gap and a friction between the two tiny islands, however Malta seems to be more advanced then Gozo and yet most Maltese tend relax and spend most weekends in Gozo, i am what one would say bemused with all the attitudes between one island and their. neighbour. Any answers cause i dammed if i know why? to me they are both Maltese flying the same flag .

Joseph Schembri (on 22/11/08)

I can understand why a Maltese editor would use the word 'Gozo' in the title. There is no conspiracy involved Mr. Morana - it is just that we Maltese are interested in Gozo and most Gozitans know that we are their bread and butter with our internal tourism.

Meanwhile I can't fail but notice that this newspaper like most others persists in publishing the names of the presumed innocent. What news value is there and what interest does the public have in learning the names of the alleged perpetrators? Sexual crimes in our society are considered the worst type and the possibility of harming the innocent, in my opinion, far outweighs the 'gossip value' of the three names. If we must name people let it happen only if they are found guilty even though personally I find no news value in publishing the names of non public figures.

Malcolm Mifsud (on 22/11/08)

@Joe Morana
Nothing against Gozo or the Gozitans, but please also keep in mind that some of the worst murders and other unsolved crimes ALSO took place in Gozo. Humans inhabit Gozo after all!

John Azzopardi (on 22/11/08)

I am gozitan and I am in agreement that the names and crimes should be published as they were. But, let us not be mistaken. Crime happens all over and this notion of omerta indicated by some maltese on the Malta island is ridiculous. People go missing, burned in cars, rapped, shot, etc etc. Those are happening all over malta. Please be careful of how you speak and what you say, especailly if you do not know what you are saying.

Maria Camilleri (on 22/11/08)

what is more shocking is you being more interesting in the Gozo factor than the news that a girl was gang raped. Hallo?!

Caroline Camilleri (on 22/11/08)

@ Lawrence Bonello - wherever it took place is irrelevant - it's still despicable. However it's "ma nofx habejb" - if you insist on quoting Gozitan at least get it right!

Jeff Rogers (on 22/11/08)

I understand most comments but why on earth do the maltese treat a beautiful calypso island such as Gozo as a second class country? Yes i do mean a country with nicer*** people then one would find in Malta, sorry but thats my opinion. i mean every time Malta receive a subsidy from the Eu, Malta is always first in line! why do the young Gozitans have to travel to malta to work everyday of ther lives? surely foreign firms or maltese companies at that can establish themselves in Gozo and help these youngsters,.most of these people because of luck of work emmigrate to such countries as Aussi.Canada, the us.. and leave their families,. It seems to me that the Maltese treat the Gozitans as naive farmers but most of us Brits. Know different, they are inteliggent , friendly and helpful that one cannot find even in our own country. One last point if i had to live in malta with all the noise and pollution i would rather go back home and spend my pension money in my own country. Good day to all- be happy - remember Your are dead a long time. Let loose and relax.

I. Galea (on 22/11/08)

Here we go again. Let the Gozo-bash fest begin. Am I sick of this or what.

Rape happens everywhere. Gozo and Malta are no exception. This time, it happened to be in Gozo. So what? If it was in Malta, three Maltese villages would have been mentioned instead of Xaghra, Nadur and Qala.

Oh and Lawrence, you got the dialect all wrong ;)

J Pace (on 22/11/08)

Why have the accused requested bail if there is a possibility that they would tamper with evidence and if more witnesses had to testify? I am not a lawyer so I do not understand the way our criminal proceedings work, but one doesn't have to be a mastermind to understand that the alleged rapists should be kept locked up if there is a possibility thay crucial evidence would be tampered with.

Mr Lawrence Bonello: On a sidenote, if you want to quote the Gozitan dialect I suggest you do so accurately, not just write what sounds like some dialect that some Maltese villagers use!

Lawrence Bonello (on 22/11/08)

@ Joe Morana
What disturbed you so much?
Was it the fact that by saying that the gang rape took place in Gozo, the Times was disturbing the "Ma nufx habojb!!" mentality of omertà that is so prevalent on our sister island!??

Gabriella Tonna (on 22/11/08)

@ Joe Morana - I am sure that if the word "Gozo' was used in a good news article you wouldn't have complained. You have to accept the fact that bad things are also happening in Gozo as much as they are in Malta.

lgalea (on 22/11/08)

Joe Morana
How sensitive Joe.
Are Xaghra, Nadur and Qala on the Moon?

G. Falzon (on 21/11/08)

to Joe Morana: Did you visit link sumitted by Amanda Mallia? Since when has Libya become part of Gozo in line with your logic? I am sure we can find several other links similar to the one given by Amanda!

Amanda Mallia (on 21/11/08)

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081121/local/libyan-pleads-guilty-to-rape

B. Demanuele (on 21/11/08)

Wajjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj? Don't you know me ol'cocker, open your eyes and read the papers that might give you a clue? gee buddy i just cannot understand how some people can be so naive and out of touch, here in New Zealand we all know whats going on in the world,now with the use of the internet there's no excuse .

Mark Aloisio (on 21/11/08)

Mr. Morana: I don't see your point. The report mentions Xaghra, Nadur and Qala - all of which are located in Gozo.

James De Giorgio (on 21/11/08)

What is going on all of a sudden??

Joe Morana (on 21/11/08)

Interesting how this newspaper is always quick to identify Gozo in its reporting of high-profile crimes. As if gang-rapes have never taken place in other parts of the Maltese islands! Why cannot The Times just name the accused and the town they are from, and just leave it at that?

Three charged with Gozo gang rape

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