Moroccan woman jailed after burgling friends’ apartment

A Moroccan woman was this afternoon jailed for three months after admitting to breaking into her friends’ apartment while they were at work.

Meriam Abdussalam Mouaddea, 39, of San Gwann, pleaded guilty to stealing a bag containing some €240 in coins, to damaging the apartment’s front door, and to committing a crime while out on bail.

The incident occurred on 29 November, when the woman broke into her friends' apartment while they were at work. Sources close to the investigation said that earlier that day, the woman knocked at the door of the Sliema apartment and asked her friends for a glass of water.

While she was inside, she asked for a certain Mohammed, who was in America. The accused was then asked to leave and told that her friend will return to their apartment later in the evening.

However, informed sources explained that later that morning, one of the tenants, Abdu Rahman, phoned his flatmate, Adam Ali Anwar, and told him that he was going to check on the flat as he was suspicious.

Upon arriving at the apartment in St Ignatius Junction, Sliema, Rahman discovered that the apartment had been broken into. Inside, he noticed that one of rooms had been rummaged through and caught the accused red-handed. She then tried to escape.

However, her escape was thwarted as Rahman and two other flatmates held her until police arrived. Sources said that as soon as police arrived, the Moroccan woman was found sobbing on the bed while inside her bag, police found a bag of coins.

Standing before Magistrate Francesco Depasquele, the Moroccan woman admitted to the charges and was jailed for three months for breaching bail conditions over another case.

She was also placed under a two-year supervision order.

Police Inspector Jason Sultana prosecuted while lawyer Joe Brincat appeared for the woman.