Eritrean man denies sexual assault on woman lured to Msida bar
Afewerki Teklesembet Yohannes, 41, appeared in court Monday charged with sexually assaulting a woman trapped inside a locked bar in Msida. A bail decision is pending.
Msida bar assault: accused denies charges as court weighs bail
A 41-year-old Eritrean man living in Pietà has pleaded not guilty to charges of sexual assault, unlawful detention, and theft following an alleged attack on a woman inside a locked bar in Msida on 3 September, maltatoday.com.mt reports.
Afewerki Teklesembet Yohannes appeared before Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech on Monday. He stands accused of using a weapon to force the woman to submit to a non-consensual sexual act, holding her against her will, causing her to fear violence, slightly injuring her, and stealing her smartwatch.
The alleged sequence of events
According to Police Inspector Michael Vella, prosecuting alongside lawyer Nadia Ciappara from the Office of the Attorney General, the woman had approached a police patrol that evening and told officers she had "just been raped," before pointing out the defendant.
Earlier that night, the woman and her boyfriend had been at Rocky Beach in Paceville when their bag went missing. A man subsequently approached the couple and told them he could help retrieve it, directing the woman to a bar in Msida where, he said, the person who had taken the bag would return it.
The man also told the woman that the bag would only be handed back if she was Colombian and her boyfriend was not European, prompting the boyfriend to stay behind. He gave the woman his phone and told her to call the emergency services if anything went wrong.
Once inside the Msida bar, the woman sensed something was wrong, but when she tried to leave she found the door had been locked. Yohannes allegedly grabbed her breasts and tore off her smartwatch. Hearing the commotion from outside, the boyfriend kicked the door open and found the defendant holding a hammer and the woman's mobile phone, which Yohannes immediately handed over.
Arrest, release and re-arrest
Yohannes was taken to hospital following his arrest to be treated for hand injuries. During subsequent questioning he issued an audiovisual statement denying all allegations, claiming it had been the couple who had approached him in St Julian's.
Because his initial period of arrest was about to expire, he was released on police bail that evening. He returned to the police station the following day as required and was re-arrested at that point.
Bail hearing turns contentious
Lawyer Franco Debono, assisted by lawyer Adreana Zammit, requested bail on behalf of Yohannes, noting that the defendant had been living in Malta for 13 years and was gainfully employed. Debono also pointed to the fact that Yohannes had complied with his police bail conditions and kept his appointment at the station.
Inspector Vella told the court, however, that although Yohannes was registered with Jobsplus as a self-employed restaurant owner, no restaurant premises were listed — the address provided was his home address.
Magistrate Frendo Dimech pressed the matter, noting that Yohannes had earlier claimed to work in construction. "He said that he worked in construction earlier today! Who does he work in construction with?" the magistrate asked.
The defence clarified that Yohannes had previously worked in construction and was "now preparing to open his own restaurant."
The magistrate observed that the defendant's lawyer was doing his best but that Yohannes appeared to be undermining his own case. The court said a decision on bail would be issued in chambers.
The case is separate from a related matter reported by maltatoday.com.mt in which three men were charged with sexually assaulting a woman in a Msida apartment, with Magistrate Nadine Sant Lia ordering all three remanded in custody.
Source: Times of Malta