Man jailed for six years for corrupting minors on bus

Abdulsalam Yahya has been sentenced to six years in prison after being found guilty of exposing himself and making sexual gestures toward two 13-year-old boys on a bus travelling to Marsaskala.

On Monday, 35-year-old Abdul Yahya was sentenced to six years in prison after he was found guilty of corruption of minors, sexual harassment and offending public morals. 

The court heard how the incident occurred on the evening of 5 March 2025, while the two victims, both aged 13, were travelling on route 135 from the Airport toward Marsaskala. They had been on a fishing trip during their Carnival holidays.

The minors testified Yahya had followed them from the bus stop before boarding the same vehicle.

Once on the bus, Yahya exposed his private parts and made repetitive hand gestures with sexual connotations. One of the minors testified that he understood the defendant's gestures as a sign that the man "wanted to rape him and to frighten them."

The other victim told the court the aggressor asked for their names and inquired whether they were male or female. The boy, who described himself as being in a state of terror, contacted his father during the journey.

Upon arrival at the Marsaskala terminus, Yahya followed the boys off the bus but was intercepted by one of the victims' fathers, who restrained him until the police arrived.

Police officers and the bus driver testified that the children were visibly distressed, trembling, and in shock following the encounter.

Yahya, who pleaded not guilty, admitted to being on the bus and seeing the minors, he claimed he truly could not remember any of the events that followed.

Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit dismissed this version of events, describing the defendant’s claimed memory loss as a "convenient" attempt to avoid responsibility.

Conversely, the court found the minors' testimonies to be consistent and fully corroborated by the evidence provided by the police and the victims' parents.

The magistrate noted that the defendant showed no remorse for his actions and had tried to dismiss the gravity of the incident. Consequently, the court determined that a custodial sentence was necessary to serve as a deterrent.

In addition to the six-year prison term, the court issued a three-year restraining order in favour of the victims. The court ordered that his name be listed on the Sex Offenders Registry.

The prosecution was led by AG lawyer Jennifer Tabone, assisted by inspectors Dorianne Tabone and Kurt Farrugia.