Dispute over sale of speakers on Facebook Marketplace sees former partners both charged in court

Disagreement over the sale of speakers on Facebook market place saw man and a woman both being arraigned in court on Friday

Facebook Marketplace (File photo)
Facebook Marketplace (File photo)

Disagreement over the sale of speakers on Facebook market place saw a man and a woman both being arraigned in court on Friday.

The man, Mohamed Gubgub 29-years-old from Libya, was charged with threatening the woman and she was charged with offending and insulting him.

The prosecution recalled how on the 31 October 2024, police in Ħamrun assisted the woman, who is the accused’s former partner, after he threatened her. She had called him on WhatsApp and talked about how they were going to sell the speakers on Facebook Marketplace.

Upon returning home, a disagreement arose over the speaker sale, during which the prosecution reported that the man threatened the woman, saying he would “beat and kill her” (“nifqak u niqtlok”).

The accused pleaded guilty, and the court sentenced him to probation. While the prosecution did not specify whether the argument rose in relation to the man’s drug use, the court said the man should be given the necessary help to address his drug addiction.

The woman, Salvina Muscat 45-years-old from Santa Venera, was also arraigned on Friday, charged with offending and insulting the man using derogatory words during the phone call.

The woman’s defence lawyers said she had insulted the man because she could no longer bear being beaten, threatened and insulted during the five years of her relationship.

The court found her guilty, and also sentenced her to probation.

The court also issued a protection order for both the accused, ordering them to not approach each other.

The prosecution was led by inspector Christian Cauchi, and legal aid lawyers Victor Bugeja and Yanika Bugeja appeared for the woman and man respectively.