Żurrieq jeweller murder: Accused admits striking victim ‘aggressively’ during fatal heist


A convicted accomplice in the fatal Żurrieq jewellery heist has admitted to “hitting [the victim] aggressively”, as he testified against his former co-accused in court on Wednesd      

Mohamed Anas Boualam, already serving a 32-year sentence for his role in the 2023 hold-up, was called to testify in the ongoing murder proceedings against Zouhair Hadoumi, the last remaining accused in the case that claimed the life of jeweller Joseph Carabott, 67.

Carabott was discovered by his children, bound and unconscious in a pool of blood inside his Żurrieq shop on 25 August 2023. He suffered catastrophic head injuries and never recovered, dying on 5 April 2025.

Three people were charged over the robbery: Boualam, Hadoumi, and Donna Sciberras, who was sentenced to 28 years after admitting her role and testifying against the others.

During her earlier testimony, Sciberras had described the scene as “a scary sight”, recounting how Hadoumi pinned Carabott to the floor while Boualam struck him repeatedly with the handle of a large knife.

When he took the witness stand on Wednesday, Boualam initially claimed not to remember what had happened, repeatedly insisting that he had been “on drugs” at the time and had “forgotten everything”.

“I swear on the Quran that I do not recall,” he said, before slowly beginning to remember fragments of the day, including travelling by taxi from Żebbuġ to Żurrieq with Sciberras and Hadoumi, and entering the shop “through the shutter”.

Under questioning from the court, Boualam first denied striking the jeweller, then later admitted that he had done so “aggressively”, after being confronted with photographic evidence of blood spattered across the ceiling of the shop.

“Did you hit him so savagely that blood splattered up there?” the magistrate asked.
After a long silence, Boualam replied: “I hit him aggressively… and Donna did too.”

He told the court that Sciberras had asked him to “get the gold”, admitting that the trio ransacked the shop and left Carabott tied up on the ground. None of them returned to free him.

Throughout his testimony, Boualam’s recollections wavered between denial and partial admissions, at times claiming he could not recognise CCTV images or remember who was present.

AG lawyers Anthony Vella and Kaylie Bonett led the prosecution, assisted by inspectors Stephen Gulia and Lydon Zammit.


Lawyer Brandon Kirk Muscat appeared for Hadoumi, while lawyer Ana Thomas represented the victim’s family.

Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech presided.