A Somali man has been charged with raping a man and a woman in two incidents that took place close to each other in Hamrun on Tuesday.

The victims were both elderly Maltese nationals. 

21-year-old Abdul Yousef Abib was charged with having raped the two victims, committing non-consensual sex acts, holding the victims against their will and slightly injuring them. He was further charged with stealing the man’s mobile phone.

The accused, who said he works in agriculture, pleaded not guilty.

Inspector Joseph Busuttil, prosecuting, told the court that two officers stationed at the Hamrun station were alerted to a commotion outside at around 2am.

They ran out and found the woman, with her underwear down to her ankles, and the alleged aggressor getting off her and running away. The woman told officers the aggressor had pulled down her underwear and stuffed his fingers inside her, causing her to bleed. 

While the police were interviewing the woman, an ambulance stopped with the elderly man inside. He too had experienced a similar incident, telling police that the aggressor had stolen his phone before pulling down his pants and stuffing his fingers into his anus.

The accused, the court heard, was arrested soon after the second aggression.

Lawyer Daniel Attard, appearing for Abib, did not request bail but he asked for a psychiatric assessment of the accused.

Magistrate Charmaine Galea, presiding, recommended that the prison director provide such an assessment. The accused was remanded in custody. The court also ordered a ban on the publication of the victims’ names to protect their identity.

Lawyer Kaylie Bonnett from the Office of the Attorney General assisted the prosecution.