Waylon Johnston
Police officer says people fear going to Marsa
Newly-appointed Police Superintendent Silvio Valletta told a magistrate yesterday people were scared to go to Marsa, where open centres hosting migrants were located.
"We have reached a point where Maltese people cannot even go to Marsa because they are afraid," he said in a passionate burst. "The victim could not even go out and buy a Coke. With all due respect, we are not in Somalia. If they do not have laws there, we do and they have to understand this," Mr Valletta said in court.
The officer, who was promoted from inspector yesterday, was making his submissions on punishment in a court case against an 18-year-old Somali, Ali Mohammed Abhukhadir, who admitted to stealing a pair of sunglasses and some other items worth some €233 from a car in Marsa.
The incident happened on Tuesday at 2.30 a.m. when a man stopped his car to buy a bottle of Coke only to be hit on the head with a bottle and then robbed by three men, who ransacked his car.
Arriving seconds after the incident erupted, the police only managed to apprehend Mr Abhukhadir because the others made a quick escape.
Defence lawyer Mark Busuttil said that his client had fully cooperated with the police in their investigations. He also pointed out that the accused was just 18 years old.
After taking into consideration the fact that Mr Abhukhadir is a first time offender and his age, the court imposed a six-month jail term suspended for one year.
Police Inspector Ramon Mercieca also prosecuted.
12 Comments
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Denis Catania
Dec 19th 2008, 17:31
@Chris FINCH: If your ancestors would have left Africa alone. We wouldn't have this problem. If your ancestors would have not traded slaves, America and the Africans would have been spared all that pain and Malta wouldn't have these problems.I say, strip the wealth from the ANGLOS and give it to the Africans.
This statement was made on the assumption that FINCH is an English name and not a Maltese name.
R. Cassar
Dec 19th 2008, 10:28
@Chris Finch
It's comment like yours that always leave me flabbergasted. What does Obama have to do with the illegal immigrants that roam our streets at night? Obama was educated at Harvard!
It is a fact that Marsa and Hal Far and perhaps even B'Bugia are fast becoming no go areas for the Maltese. Even the police stated this when a driver was attacked en route to B'Bugia a few months ago. Personally while driving through Marsa at night three immigrants jumped out of nowhere and tried to stop my car, nearly causing an accident in the process. Thank God I managed to "escape".
No these areas are not safe any more and the comments by Police Superintendent Silvio Valletta should not be taken lightly. And please stop using the race card. If these people were white as ice from Finland and they acted this way they would not be welcome either...
A Bezzina
Dec 19th 2008, 08:27
@chris Finch
by any chance where do you live? I do not think that you live in Marsa. I now that before it was a dump area but at least dump won't pass any comments. And to take my children at the sports ground i won't go at 2.30a.m i will go at reasonable time in the afternoon like on sunday so the children can play a bit.
Alex Calamatta
Dec 18th 2008, 17:54
I find the street near the Marsa Open Centre quite safe. I often pass from that street at night on my bike and I was never threatened by anyone.
I pass from that street because it is far safer than driving my bike in the Marsa main road due to Maltese driver's careless driving.
Chris Finch
Dec 18th 2008, 16:20
@ A Bezzina. Would you also now be afraid to go to the US in January because it is run by a person of African descent? No, so why should you be afraid to go to the Marsa sports ground.
Would you walk through Gzira at 2.30am with your children? No, so why do you think that during the day you should have anything to worry about.
I personally wouldnt walk down there even before there was an open centre there as the place is a dump. Why do you think this was chosen for the open centre?
T. Pace
Dec 18th 2008, 12:53
It would be interesting to learn what cooperation this criminal gave the Police once he had been apprehended. It does not appear that he gave away the name of his accomplices.
Was it insomnia that kept him and the rest of the gang waiting for somebody to pounce on?
Only last week an illegal immigrant went to the Police in the early hours of the day to report an injury that he had suffered at the hands of his 'brothers'. What was he doing roaming the streets at that time of the day? Was he going to catch the early morning Mass?
Marsa is only the first (or is it the second after Hal Far) no go area. Bugibba is fast becoming another one and one is already apprehensive about going out after dark. Are the property owners paying a licence to the MTA and paying commercial rates for Water & Electricity as visitors from other countries mainly European do? If not, than there is discrimination against tourists.
Joseph Vassallo
Dec 18th 2008, 12:52
Actual violence against a person and actual bodily harm should never result in a suspended sentence. This used to be done when the victim pardoned the accused when asked but I don't think this happens anymore.
If magistrates and judges are too lenient, the deterrence theory collapses and criminals will simply laugh at the judicial system all the way to the bank.
It doesn't sound to me like the police superintendent was soliciting any leniency because the accused had cooperated during the investigations, either.
Julie Peace
Dec 18th 2008, 12:43
& don't even think of using the toilets by the bus stop and kiosk at Marsa, they are absolutely disgusting!
A Bezzina
Dec 18th 2008, 11:19
And what do you say for us , that we have to face them everyday because we live in Marsa. Do we have any source of protection, we can't go anywhere becasue off them not even to the marsa sport ground with our children becasue we have to pass from there.
B Borg
Dec 18th 2008, 11:02
''The incident happened on Tuesday at 2.30 a.m. when a man stopped his car to buy a bottle of Coke only to be hit on the head with a bottle and then robbed by three men, who ransacked his car.
... the court imposed a six-month jail term suspended for one year.''
This must be a very bad joke. Such lean sentences send out a very wrong message: crime pays. Potential offenders perceive little or no punishment for violent assault. No wonder morale in the police force is so low. Well-done CMB.
michael seychell
Dec 18th 2008, 11:00
The defence lawyer stated that the accused - now the guilty person - co-operated with the police. It would be very interesting for the general public to know whether this 18 year old boy informed the police who were his accomplices since if he failed to do so then he did not co-operate all the way with the police.
Having stated this let's not turn this case by giving it a racial twist. I can state that I would have made the same comment had the culprit been a Maltese person.
Charles Micallef
Dec 18th 2008, 10:37
The Police Superintendent who spoke out about the status quo in Marsa should be commended for doing so. I feel sorry for the people who have to live in the vicinity of the Centre and let no kind soul tell you that anyone is exaggerating with the seriousness of this issue.
I also seriously think that the army should be detailed to guard the centre and the vicinity.
I also think that the Centre’s address should be changed for
Marsa,
Republic of Somewhere Else,
as this is certainly not Malta GC.