Man jailed for stealing cash to ‘buy medicine’ after pleading guilty

A man who admitted to stealing a bag containing cash, credit cards and valuables, telling the court that he used them to buy medicines, has been jailed after pleading guilty to related charges.

26-year-old Sliema resident, Adam Djouambi from Algeria, was arrested after he was recognised from CCTV footage in Valletta, some two weeks later. 

Inspector Keith Xerri told magistrate Victor Axiaq that Djouambi had stolen the bag containing €200 in cash, credit cards and a ring from a man in Pembroke on April 24. Later that day, he also stole a mobile phone from a customer at a food store in St. Julians. The police had subsequently tracked him down in the following days and arrested him.

At the time of his arrest he was observed to be wearing the same clothes as seen on the footage.

Djouambi pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated theft, fraud, other fraudulent gain and simple theft, as well as to recidivism and breaching a conditional discharge he had been handed just two days before committing the crimes. 

He told the court this morning that he had committed the thefts to buy himself medicines for unspecified medical conditions.

In view of his admission, the court sentenced Djouambi to imprisonment for 2 years.

Lawyer Yanika Bugeja was legal aid defence counsel.