A Pakistani national who was staying in Malta and was due to return to his home country today, had to delay his departure following an unfortunate event with a Gzira prostitute. Jusef Mohamed was called to testify during the arraignment of two people, Burgh Spiteri and Sera Caruana Smith. The two accused are officially unemployed and both live in Testaferrata Street in Gzira.

Taking the witness stand, Mr Mohamed explained that on Saturday at around 1:30pm, he headed to Testaferrata Street as he had heard that this was the place where a person can have ‘free sex.’ Magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo heard how the man approached Smith to have sexual intercourse. Mohamed only speaks Pakistani and Italian while the accused was only able to speak in Maltese. Despite the language barrier, the two agreed on a price of €10.

The man explained how he followed the woman up the stairs to the apartment. At the time, the two were alone. Before the session, the accused asked the man to pay up and so he did. After intercourse, the woman yelled out her companion’s name who was sitting in the next room. A minute later, Burgh Spiteri appeared carrying a knife.

According to the witness, the accused held the man with the knife pointed at his throat threatening to slit his throat open if he spoke. At this point in the testimony, the prosecution asked how did he understand the threat if he knew no Maltese. The Pakistani then clarified that he had perceived that message from the accused’s hand gesture.

Still with a knife against his throat, the woman took the wallet from the man’s pocket, grabbed the cash and threw the wallet in the direction of the door. According to the witness, he had some €800 in cash in the wallet.

The man left the building and spoke to the first person he met, an old person sitting next to the door of the same apartment. He told him about his ordeal and the local told him to head to the police station. Before heading there, the man said he saw the accused woman approach him. He explained that she was asking why was he still there.

A moment later, the Pakistani observed a red car approaching driven by a woman, and the two accused entering the vehicle which took off.

The defence, led by Dr Victor Bugeja, asked the court to consider bail. The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges of theft and loitering for prostitution.

The two were remanded in custody.