Man admits to murder of Żurrieq jeweller, who died more than a year after attack

A 37-year-old man has admitted to the murder of Żurrieq jeweller Joseph Carabott, who died this month, more than a year after he was beaten in a botched robbery attempt.

Mohamed Anas Boualam repeatedly hit Carabott in the face with a knife handle during the August 2023 attack, an earlier court heard. The Moroccan national admitted wilful homicide, illegal arrest and theft. Sentencing will be decided at a later stage.

The charges he faced were changed to include murder during the court sitting on Wednesday. Carabott never recovered from brain damage and died earlier this month from pneumonia linked to his injuries.

His co-accused, Zouhair Hadoumi, 28, continues to deny the charges while a third person, Donna Sciberras, previously admitted her role in the botched heist and was sentenced to 28 years in prison. 

Mohamed Anas Boualam, Donna Borg Sciberras and Zouhair Hadoumi arriving for their arraignment after being charged with the attempted murder of jeweller Joseph Carabott on August 25, 2023

She previously testified against her co-accused, telling the court that Hadoumi pinned down the jeweller while Boualam hit him repeatedly in the face with the handle of a large knife.

Hadoumi then began kicking Carabott in his ribs and head, Sciberras said, describing the violence as a “scary sight”.

Boualam and Hadoumi had initially pleaded not guilty to grievous bodily harm, holding the victim against his will, carrying a knife while committing the crime, willful damage to third-party property and refusing to obey legitimate police orders.

But Boualam changed his plea on Wednesday after the magistrate explained to the accused that the charges were being changed. She told him the punishment for wilful homicide goes up to lifetime imprisonment while grievous and attempted homicide is 30 years, illegal arrest 13 months - six years and theft carries up to nine years sentence. 

When the court asked him what he was pleading, Boualam said he was admitting to Carabott's murder.

Carabott, then 67, was beaten unconscious after he called out for help during the robbery on August 25, 2023. He was was found by his children inside his jewellery store lying on the floor in a pool of blood, with his hands tied and rushed to Mater Dei Hospital in critical condition.

In a previous sitting, Carabott's son testified how the children had gone to look for their father after he did not turn up to go play tennis with his wife. His son said that the violent criminals had left their father in a state that was "worse than being dead". 

Medico-legal experts David Pisani and Ali Safraz testified on Wednesday that Carabott died on April 4 of pneumonia as a direct consequence of a complication from the intracranial brain injuries he sustained.

Forensic expert Mario Scerri said Carabott died at St Vincent de Paul, to where he was transferred after leaving Mater Dei Hospital. He was in a "persitent vegetative state" following the injuries sustained in the attack and these injuries were susceptible to hypostatic pneumonia.

During Wednesday’s sitting, Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech addressed the family members of the victim and offered her condolences.

AG lawyers Kaylie Bonett and Anthony Vella prosecuted, assisted by police inspector Lydon Zammit.  Defence lawyers George Anton Buttigieg and Mark Mifsud Cutajar appeared for Boulam and Hadouni respectively.Lawyers Stephen Tonna Lowell and Ana Thomas assisted the victim’s family.