Two teens and young man charged with mugging courier delivering tobacco

Two teenagers and a young man were accused on Thursday of mugging a courier who was delivering tobacco products to them.

Police inspector Stephen Gulia told court that around 9.30pm on March 31, the police were informed that a delivery driver had been held at knife-point in St Paul’s Bay.

He had arrived at the location where he was assaulted by two masked "male" individuals, one of whom held a knife. The assailants made off with €200 in cash and €53 worth of items that he had delivered, including vapes and tobacco.

From CCTV footage, it was established that there were three individuals involved: two had an active role, while a girl acted as a lookout and communicated with the courier.

The police also established that the order was made from Janalise Camilleri’s phone. When they went to arrest Camilleri, the police found another suspect - Ammar El Hadi - and arrested him too. There, the officers found the clothes used in the armed robbery.

The police identified the third suspect -  a 17-year-old girl, and an arrest warrant was issued for her.

She was found in a Mosta residence following a tip-off. The 17-year-old told them that she had no contact with her parents and had been “abandoned” by them. 

The girl said she received no support, so the officers called the child protection services to assist. It was then that she was handed the warrant and given her rights.

On Thursday, Camilleri, 19, and El Hadi, a 24-year-old Tunisia-born man, were accused of theft aggravated by means, value, time, and violence. They were also accused of holding the alleged victim against his will.

The 17-year-old girl without a fixed address was accused of being an accomplice in the armed robbery.

Camilleri was accused of committing a crime during the operative period of a probation order and recidivism.

El Hadi was charged with carrying a knife in public and making use of it during the commission of a crime.

The 17-year-old admitted to the charges, while the co-accused denied the charges.

The prosecution requested that the proceedings against the minor continue separately from those of the co-accused.

A request for bail was made for the minor pending sentencing by the Juvenile Court.

Defence lawyer Nicholas Mifsud argued that if the girl is granted bail, the pre-sentencing report would give a more accurate picture of the accused’s life. He also requested a supervision order so that the girl is followed by a probation officer.

“Work has to be done with her parents, too. But a holistic approach has to be taken in order to help the minor,” Mifsud argued, adding that this was the girl’s first time in court and that her role in the case was secondary.

He added that the girl confessed to her role in the armed robbery in the statement.

Gulia countered that the girl’s role was very different to the rest, but the prosecution’s biggest request was where the girl would live. The police inspector observed that the address provided by the girl was her mother’s, who had been separately investigated and arraigned in the past. The police inspector underlined that the girl’s mother has serious drug issues and will soon enter rehabilitation.

Mifsud stressed that this was a test for the girl, and the bail conditions would test her.

The court denied the minor bail in view of her own personal circumstances.

The defence lawyer highlighted that despite the many agencies, his client, who is about to turn 18 in a few weeks, and whose mother is afflicted with drug addiction, cannot be granted bail because she has nowhere to live.

“She’s carrying her mother’s cross,” Mifsud said, insisting that this situation should be brought to the attention of all agencies to find a solution in view of the fact that the girl would not be able to live in a home for children once she turns 18.

Legal aid lawyer Yanika Bugeja also requested bail for Camilleri, but the court rejected the request.

AG lawyer Miryea Mifsud, assisted by police inspectors Stephen Gulia and Warren Galea, prosecuted.

Lawyer Nicholas Mifsud appeared for the minor.

Legal aid lawyer Yanika Bugeja appeared for Camilleri and El Hadi.