Homeless men arraigned over mugging

Two homeless Somali men have been charged with having stolen €300 in cash and a mobile phone from an Egyptian man at knifepoint, early on Sunday morning

 Abdulkadir Ahmed Mohammed, 32 and Mustafa Mohamud Mohamed, 31 both from Mogadishu were arraigned before magistrate Ian Farrugia this morning. Two other Somali men are on the run, suspected of being involved in the case, after escaping from police custody.

Mohamud Mohamed was additionally accused of trying to intimidate a police officer. He had allegedly told the police officer that he would inform the Prime Minister and have him fired.

The men were charged with slightly injuring their Egyptian victim, breaching the peace, living as vagabonds and relapsing.

Mohamud Mohammed alone was also charged with carrying a knife without a police licence, during the commission of a crime and with being drunk in a public place. He was further charged with threatening a police officer at Mater Dei Hospital, disobeying the officer and interfering with his duties.

As the sitting began, Abdulkadir Ahmed Mohammed told the court that he didn’t want a lawyer because he had done nothing wrong and demanded, several times, that the victim testify to this.

Jabbing his finger at the court and gesticulating, the man refused to take responsibility, saying that he had fought with someone but that someone else took the money.

“Bring other man to swear on the Koran,” he said. “This is political! They have camera! I did nothing, I no touch him!”

He said he wanted the Egyptian man to “come here and tell the truth.”

“They say camera no working because they don’t want to lose,” he said, apparently referring to the prosecution.

He pleaded not guilty, as did the other accused. “I don’t do nothing you have to check the camera,” he said, gesticulating and pointing wildly.

The court remanded both men in custody. The court said that the victim would testify “very soon”.

“OK see you in Babylonia,” Abdulkadir Ahmed Mohammed replied.