Somali woman charged with injuring public officials

A 24-year-old woman from Somalia was remanded in custody after she pleaded not guilty to slightly injuring two public officials and two immigrants.

Hadra Mahmoud, who lives at Lyster Barracks, was charged with violently resisting and slightly injuring detention officer Vincent Cesare and nurse Jesmond Micallef at 11.45 a.m. yesterday.

She was also charged with slightly injuring two immigrants, disobeying orders and breaching the peace.

Sources close to the case said Ms Mahmoud got involved in an argument that was going on among a group of Eritreans.

The detention officer and the nurse tried to calm down the situation but the woman was having none of it and used a 20-litre water container to hit them.

Police inspector Arthur Mercieca said the crime committed was a very serious one, especially since it involved public officials.

But legal aid lawyer Anthony Cutajar played down the charges and said they were not out of this world and the woman should be granted bail.

Highlighting the fact that the woman allegedly attacked public officials, Magistrate Gabriella Vella denied bail.