A 29-year-old man was sentenced to 30 years in jail after he admitted to knifing a man to death in Marsa in July last year.

Ali Mahy Ezzo Saeed, from Sudan, pleaded guilty to wilful homicide before Madam Justice Consuelo Scerri Herrera, to avoid a trial by jury and possible life sentence.

Saeed had stabbed Egyptian national Adri Mohammed four times in the chest, inflicting further stab wounds on his back and other parts of his body at around 6.30pm on 24 July 2022 in Triq Patri Felicjan Bilocca, Marsa.

Mohammed, 25, had died soon after arriving at hospital.

Saeed had been prevented from escaping from the murder scene by bystanders who had pinned him down until the arrival of police, who then arrested him. He had initially denied charges of murder and carrying a knife in public without a licence, carrying a weapon during the commission of a crime and breaching the peace.

Pathologists and medico-legal experts assisting the murder investigation concluded that Qassem had died of cardiac shock from a knife wound to the left side of his chest.

In handing down the 30-year sentence the judge described Saeed’s actions as “immeasurably barbaric.” He avoided a life sentence thanks to his early admission which had saved both the court’s and the court administration’s precious time as well as public funds.

He was also fined €116,47 for the knife offences, with the court also seizing all property and money belonging to the defendant. The court ordered the time Saaed had spent in preventive custody to be deducted from his sentence.

Inspectors Shaun Pawney and Roderick Spiteri had conducted the investigation. Lawyer Jason Grima was defence counsel.