Two Libyan nationals who on Wednesday were jailed for 15 and 10 years respectively for the crimes of a sexual nature committed against a Swedish woman yesterday appealed against a jury verdict and subsequent punishment handed down against them, with their lawyer arguing that it was excessive.

Nader Abdulaziz Elgerian was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment while co-national Hasan Mohamed Ahmed was sentenced for 10 years after they were both found guilty by a unanimous vote by a jury.

Elgerian, 29, from Libya, was found guilty of raping Sandra Vikstrom on 14 May 2006 at Shingles Bay in St Julian’s.

He was also found guilty of violent indecent assault and threatening Zakarija Abdisamed Abukar with his life, at the police headquarters on 14 May 2006. Mr Abukar was an eyewitness who helped the police in their investigation. Elgerian was also found guilty of relapsing.

Hasan Mohamed Ahmed, 28, was found guilty of acting as an accomplice while Elgerian raped Ms Vikstrom.

He was also found guilty of acting as an accomplice while Elgerian committed violent indecent assault. Both men were found guilty of slightly injuring Ms Vikstrom and holding her against her will.

The accused’s lawyer, Joe Brincat, said the accused were appealing the verdict as there was no proof of the crimes as the victim had not identified her assailant and had never referred to him as her aggressor. Consequently, if Elgerian could not be found guilty of rape, then his ‘accomplice’ could not be found guilty either, according to the defence counsel.

The defence also contended that the punishments handed down were excessive, also in the eyes of the law as punishment should be handed down on the major charge, and not on others that constitute or ‘round up’ the same criminal act.