Two men deny stealing €40,000 in cash in violent masked mugging in Paola
Victim was pushed down the stairs as court hears it was 'well known' she carried all her life-savings in her bag
Updated 3.20pm
Two men pleaded not guilty of violently mugging a woman in Paola and stealing her bag containing her life-savings amounting to €40,000 in cash.
The two men were arrested on Thursday morning in connection with the incident which left the woman slightly injured after she was pushed down the stairs on the pedestrian bridge near the Addolorata Cemetery.
Jonathan Felice, 37, from Qormi, and Ryan Briffa, 35, from Marsa, were arrested following "intensive investigations" by the police. They were arraigned in court on Thursday afternoon where they pleaded not guilty.
Police inspector Lydon Zammit told the court the victim, a 43-year-old woman, was walking on the pedestrian bridge on Vjal Sir Pawlu Boffa in Paola on December 11 when she was attacked from behind by a mask-wearing assailant, who took her bag containing €40,000 in cash and a mobile phone.
The woman was pushed down the stairs and the attacker fled the scene in a car driven by an accomplice.
Officers found the injured woman in a parking area close to the cemetery after being called to the site at around 8am. She was taken to Paola Health Centre, where her injuries were certified as minor.
The alleged thief and driver were identified from CCTV footage.
Appearing in court in front of duty magistrate Gabriella Vella, the two men were charged with the violent mugging as well as stealing a vehicle on November 21 and handling stolen goods.
Felice alone was accused of slightly injuring the alleged victim of the violent mugging and of breaching a set of bail conditions.
Briffa was separately charged with driving without a licence or insurance cover. He was also accused of being in possession of cannabis, cocaine, and heroin, as well as breaching two sets of bail conditions.
Both were accused of recidivism.
In court, inspector Zammit said it was well known that the woman was afraid of leaving her life savings anywhere and always carried the money around with her. He added the aggressors "may have known" she carried her money around as the attack lasted only 40 seconds.
CCTV footage revealed the assailants used a stolen vehicle, and followed the woman from Birkirkara to where the attack took place.
The woman walked all the way, and one of the assailants was in the van, while the other was on foot.
It was only when they got closer to the crime scene that the man on foot got into the van and stopped the vehicle just before where the mugging occurred.
Police followed the men via CCTV footage until they parked the van and removed their masks revealing their identities. The two men were already known to the police.
The stolen cash has not been found.
Bail was not requested at this stage.
During the arraignment, Briffa was escorted out of the courtroom after he made allegations against the inspector. The man was cautioned by the court before being told to leave the courtroom.
A protection order was issued in favour of the woman and the owner of the vehicle, which Briffa refused to sign claiming that he did not know the alleged victims nor did he have anything to do with the alleged incident.
Magistrate Gabriella Vella presided.
AG lawyer Martina Calleja prosecuted assisted by police inspectors Lydon Zammit, Keith Rizzo and Gabriel Kitcher.
Lawyers José Herrera and David Camilleri appeared for Briffa while lawyer Shaun Zammit appeared for Felice.