Court hears how policemen foiled attempted double rape of Italian abductee

A court will issue a decree from chambers on whether to grant bail to two African men accused of the abduction and attempted rape of an Italian woman.

Emmanuel Ngumezi and Seydon Bandango, from Nigeria and Burkina Faso are accused of abducting the woman from St George's bay in July, bundling her into a car and driving her to Pembroke, where they allegedly attempted to rape her.

Several police officers testified before magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit this morning. One told the court how, at 5:30am on 16 July this year, the station had received a call from a non-Maltese person, reporting “a foreign girl being forced to get into a car by two black men near St George’s bay.” The girl had been heard screaming, the caller said.

The officers had found the car, which had been correctly identified as a Fiat Punto, parked in Pembroke. Inside the vehicle, the court was told, they had found the woman crying for help and a black man, who was naked from the waist down. Another man who had been standing outside the car had run away, but was also apprehended later.

Defence lawyers Franco Debono and Amadeus Cachia requested bail, arguing that two sittings had been held to allow the witness evidence to be compiled and now that all witnesses have been heard, there was no risk of tampering with evidence. Should bail be granted, the accused would be residing at an address in Racecourse Street, Marsa, the defence submitted.

The prosecution objected however, pointing out that the address given by the accused is one used by many people. “I have doubts as to whether or not it even exists. There is a real risk of the accused disappearing,” said the police inspector.

The court announced that it will issue a decree on bail from chambers.

Inspector Trevor Micallef is prosecuting.

The case continues in October.