A 27-year-old Valletta native has been charged with robbing a taxi driver at knifepoint after the alleged victim said he believed that the accused was 'ready to kill him'. 

Speaking to Times of Malta on Monday, Harshall Thettilamariyil Azeez recalled this incident, which he says culminated in a struggle inside his car. 

On Friday, 27-year-old Shawn Ryan was arraigned in front of Magistrate Ann Marie Thake and charged with armed robbery, including stealing a black box full of money from Azeez, holding him against his will and causing him to fear violence. 

Ryan was also accused of stealing from a shop and attempting to break into another in Valletta. 

Police inspector Lydon Zammit told the court how on December 22 they were informed that a person had booked a cab and then proceeded to threaten the driver with a knife. 

The driver resisted, but the accused reportedly managed to get away with some €350. Ryan fled and the driver attempted to give chase but lost him on the way, Zammit said. 

Police were eventually able to determine that Ryan had entered a residence on Merchants Street. The day after, two reports of theft came in at the Valletta police station. 

Zammit said he stole some €1100 from the first shop but took nothing from the second after he failed to break into the property. 

Police were able to identify Ryan as the person responsible mainly through his distinctive tattoos and after it was determined that he was the person living in the Valletta residence. 

There was some delay in police being able to arrest Ryan as he had briefly checked into a hotel during this time. 

Making a request for bail, the defence said that Ryan was willing to seek help for his drug problem, but prison was not adequately suited to meet his needs. 

In view of new amendments to the law intended to prioritise treating drug addiction rather than simply sending perpetrators to prison, keeping Ryan out of prison should be considered, they argued. 

Additionally, they said that the prosecution had not proven what risk or peril would be posed by granting the accused bail. 

The prosecution objected to the request, saying that Ryan is an unemployed drug addict who is accused of essentially going on a crime spree in the span of just a few hours. 

After hearing both sides, the Court turned down the bail request, citing the severity of the charges and also due to the fact that civilian witnesses are still to testify.

Advocate Clive Aquilina and inspectors Gabriel Micallef, Lydon Zammit and Stephan Gulia prosecuted.

Lawyers Franco Debono, Marion Camilleri and Adreana Zammit appeared for the defence.