Five people were arraigned yesterday over crimes, including theft and drug possession, allegedly committed in Paceville over the weekend.
A 15-year-old Romanian boy said in court yesterday a man approached him in Paceville in the early hours of Saturday and offered to sell him cannabis.
He was testifying before Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit in the case of Hassan Smaile Mohammed, 24, from Niger, who pleaded not guilty to stealing mobile phones from Corina Daniela Oprea-Ilie and from others, handling stolen property and being in possession of cannabis with the intent to sell it on Saturday at about 3.30am.
Mr Mohammed has been living in Malta for eight years and resides in Msida.
The teenager said on Saturday, at about 2.30am, he was alone on the beach in St Julian’s when a man approached him, showed him two phones and a wrist watch and offered to sell them to him for €100 each.
The boy said he turned down the offer and the man – whom he identified as Mr Mohammed – walked away. Mr Mohammed then turned back and offered to sell him weed and showed it to him.
The boy said he told the man he was only 15 and did not smoke. Mr Mohammed walked away again then turned back, pulled him up, swore at him and led him towards a group of people. A man then approached Mr Mohammed and asked to buy weed, the boy said. When Mr Mohammed was about to give it to him, the would-be buyer identified himself as a police officer.
The young witness said he was alone on the beach because his mother, a dancer, was at work. His name is not being published because he is a minor.
Magistrate Stafrace Zammit also heard Ms Oprea-Ilie say that on Saturday, at about 2.30am, she was at St George’s beach with a group of friends. The lighting on the beach was dim and there were a lot of people there. At one point she placed her mobile phone near her handbag. Seconds later, it was gone.
She said her HTC phone was white and had a cover featuring the image of an owl on the back. A phone was shown to her in court and she recognised it as hers.
Mr Mohammed was remanded in police custody after the magistrate heard he did not have a fixed address and there was the risk he would abscond. Police Inspector Trevor Micallef prosecuted.
A Somali teenager was conditionally discharged for two years after he admitted to stealing a portable speaker from a French tourist in St George’s Bay early on Saturday morning.
Anis Abdulahi Abdiaziz, 19, who lives in a container at the Ħal Far centre, pleaded guilty to stealing the speaker from the St Julian’s beach at about 6.30am. The court noted that the speaker was returned to its owner. Police Inspector Trevor Micallef prosecuted.
Three young men were charged with possession of cannabis with the intent to sell at Paceville on Saturday night.
Gambian Mohamed Konteh, 18, admitted to selling about a gram of cannabis resin to an Italian man for €20. He was jailed for a year and fined €500.
Mohammed Omar Kaahin, 23, and Hamza Mohamud Ibrahim, 21, both from Somalia, pleaded not guilty to the charges and were remanded in custody.
Police Inspector Gabriel Micallef prosecuted.