A suspect tracked down one week after allegedly raping a woman afflicted by a physical debility was remanded in custody upon his arraignment on Sunday.
Police investigations to track down the suspected rapist, Syrian national Ebrahem Hamood, 33, were triggered by a report filed at the St Julian’s police station a week ago by the alleged victim, a foreign national who works in Malta.
The woman, visibly traumatised and bearing bite marks on her face, later told police that as she was walking out of Paceville at around 2.30am on June 19, heading home, a pickup van drew alongside.
The driver offered her a lift to Swieqi, but along the way, he headed to Pembroke instead.
His passenger, realising that that was not the route home, told the driver to stop but he locked the van doors.
When the driver stopped in the vicinity of the Pembroke barracks, she tried to get out, but he allegedly grabbed her by the hair, bit her on the face and pulled off her clothes.
He then allegedly raped her and drove away.
She called her friends for help and hours later, she turned up at the police station to file a report.
Working on the information in hand, police investigators set about trying to track down the suspect.
Working on CCTV footage from the streets of Paceville, investigators finally spotted the black pickup allegedly involved in the incident.
Piecing together evidence, police worked their way to the suspect who was arrested.
On Sunday, the man pleaded not guilty to violently raping the woman who was a vulnerable person in terms of law, owing to her physical disability, holding her against her will as well as causing her grievous injuries.
He was also charged with being in possession of a knife without the necessary police licence at the time of his arrest on Saturday.
At Sunday’s arraignment, inspector Dorianne Tabone told the court that when the victim went to file her report, she had bite marks on her face, purple bruising on her breast and could hardly speak on account of the traumatic experience.
The accused pleaded not guilty.
His lawyers did not request bail but requested a ban on publication of his name which, however, was turned down by the court.
The prosecution also requested a ban on the victim’s name, but the court declared that the request did not have a legal basis.
However, Magistrate Marse-Ann Farrugia appealed for responsible reporting by the media.
Inspectors Dorianne Tabone and Jean Paul Attard prosecuted, assisted by AG lawyer Darlene Grima. Lawyers Roberta Bonello and Joseph Calleja were defence counsel. Lawyers Charles Mercieca and Gianluca Caruana Curran appeared parte civile.