Man accused of holding girlfriend prisoner in her own home

Jamal Osman Humed, 25, from Eritrea, was charged with holding the Maltese woman against her will, exercising a pretended right and slightly injuring her.

An Eritrean national has been remanded in custody after he appeared in court accused of holding his former girlfriend prisoner after she told him that she was breaking up with him.

Jamal Osman Humed, 25, from Eritrea, was charged with holding the Maltese woman against her will, exercising a pretended right and slightly injuring her.

The man is understood to have been romantically involved with the woman for the past 18 months, becoming completely infatuated with her. When, for reasons which remain unclear, the woman informed him of her wish to end the relationship, he allegedly locked her inside her Msida apartment.

After eventually managing to let herself out, the woman was then locked out of her apartment by the accused, who had taken her key. In an ensuing argument, Humed allegedly struck the woman in the face, slightly injuring her.

Arraigned by Inspector Gabriel Micallef before Magistrate Monica Vella this afternoon, Humed appeared confused and evidently could not understand why the woman was not present, repeatedly asking questions to this effect.

The accused had initially told the court that he understood Maltese and had the charges read out to him. However, when the court asked him what he pleaded to the the charges, the man claimed not to have understood what was being said, requesting the assistance of a translator. The court warned the accused against lying or wasting the court’s time, after which he desisted.

Humed pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Lawyer Joseph Mizzi, appearing as legal aid to the accused, requested bail, but this was opposed by the prosecution, Inspector Gabriel Micallef saying that the police did not want the next callout to be for a homicide.

The court turned down the request for bail and ordered Humed be remanded in custody.