Court orders psychiatric evaluation of alleged thief after making a scene in court

A court has ordered the psychiatric evaluation of a 23-year-old Sudanese man accused of theft, weapons and drug charges, after his arraignment had to be cut short due to doubts about his fitness to enter a plea.

Abdalla Yahya, 23, who has no fixed place of residence, was due to be charged with the theft of €30 from a car parked in Marsa in the early hours of April 17, that offence being aggravated by the time and nature of the thing stolen, together with charges relating to carrying a knife in public without police permission, as well as the trafficking and possession of cannabis.

But once inside the courtroom, the man started to behave strangely, putting a cap on his head and refusing to take it off (it was eventually taken away by a police officer) and intermittently shouting monosyllables of apparent defiance, throughout the hearing.

Defence lawyer Thomas Barbara Sant asked for the court to appoint a psychiatrist in order to evaluate the defendant because he did not appear to be fully in control of his senses.

The court observed that it was unclear whether the man was able to understand the importance of the charges against him and suspended the proceedings until the man could be examined by a court-appointed psychiatrist. 

In view of the fact that the man had no fixed address, the defence did not request bail.