A 21-year-old man will be deported next week after he admitted to stealing from a Swieqi supermarket, a court heard on Wednesday.

Helman David Giraldo Oyola, from Colombia, was escorted to court facing charges of theft and also slightly injuring a police officer. 

Oyola stole a bag of groceries from Greens Supermarket on 10 March. Police spotted Oyola at the same supermarket eight days later and arrested him. During the arrest, he slightly injured a police officer. 

Assisted by an interpreter, the accused pleaded guilty. 

Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit said the young man would be deported but that he must first pay a €1,200 fine and repay the supermarket €200. 

When the magistrate asked how the accused would pay the fine before being deported, it was explained he needed to contact his family to transfer the money to him.

The court ordered that the man be held in custody and given until Monday to pay the fines.

Police inspectors Nico Zarb and Jonathan Cassar prosecuted.

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