A woman charged with locking up an intellectually disabled woman for hours on end had warned the police not to follow her indoors because of the overwhelming stench inside, a court heard today.

Police constable Sherona Buhagiar was the last witness to take the stand in the case against Anna Maria Jimenez, a 33-year-old Maltese woman who is pleading not guilty to locking up the 39-year-old victim, threatening her, assaulting her and causing her slight injuries.

PC Buhagiar explained that when the accused was initially denied bail upon being arraigned in September, she had asked for permission to obtain some clothes from her Birżebbuġa residence.

PC Buhagiar had accompanied the woman, who went to get some clothes from her bedroom and from the room where the victim was allegedly locked up for up to 17 hours a day with two dogs and a bucket to relieve herself.

The accused, who used to work as a cleaner at Mater Dei Hospital, would allegedly give the victim Playmobil parts for her to put together, which she would then exchange for money at the factory.

I was about to follow her in but the stench of dog faeces was so strong that I couldn’t bear being there. In fact, as [the accused] was about to open the door, she told me not to follow her in because the odour was very strong- Policewoman


“I was about to follow her in but the stench of dog faeces was so strong that I couldn’t bear being there. In fact, as [the accused] was about to open the door, she told me not to follow her in because the odour was very strong,” PC Buhagiar told Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit.

The witness proceeded to say that she also spotted a bag full of Playmobil parts in the bedroom.

The accused put her clothes into a garbage bag, which was then deposited inside the police car.

“Even then, the stench was so strong that it was unbearable.”

The case came to light after Ms Jimenez's flatmate approached Appoġġ and revealed the chilling situation she witnessed in a rented Birżebbuġa flat which she had shared with Ms Jimenez for five months.

Police Inspectors Joseph Busuttil and Sylvana Briffa are prosecuting. Lawyers Joe Giglio and Mario Spiteri are defence counsel.

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