A woman who allegedly broke into a Gżira residence armed with a knife and also committed a string of other thefts pleaded not guilty on arraignment on Monday.

Milena Debono, a 36-year-old Fgura resident was arrested on Saturday shortly after she broke into an apartment in Triq Giacint Tua. 

Witnesses told Times of Malta that the incident happened around 9am, when Debono allegedly knocked on the apartment door. The 28-year-old tenant, a Nepalese national, opened the door and, after being threatened, was locked out of his property. 

Before fleeing the apartment, Debono stole a laptop.

Debono, who is mute and deaf, was assisted by a sign-language interpreter throughout the court sitting.

Police inspector Eman Hayman recounted the steps that led to Debono’s arrest and said she was linked to other robberies which took place between 26 December and 3 January, in Sliema and Gżira.

Debono had allegedly stolen a cash register, a mobile and money in the other robberies.

On Boxing Day she allegedly stole a mobile phone and days later, on New Year’s Eve, she broke into a shop in Gżira and stole €150 and the cash register.

She was identified through CCTV cameras. 

The inspector said that on 2 January, Debono threatened an elderly woman with a rock and then proceeded to rob her of €250. The day after, in Gżira Gardens, Debono stole a man’s wallet which contained his credit cards and €40. 

Sources told Times of Malta that Debono had an accomplice in the Gżira Gardens theft.

In court, Debono pleaded not guilty.

Defence lawyer Franco Debono did not request bail but asked for the woman to be kept in the Forensic Unit at Mount Carmel Hospital, so as to be provided with the necessary care. 

The court granted the request. 

The prosecution was led by inspectors Eman Hayman and Ian Azzopardi, assisted by lawyer Brendan Hewer from the Office of the Attorney General. 

Lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri were defence counsel.