A man who insisted in court that he was “not a criminal” was handed an 18-month jail term after admitting to an armed robbery at a betting parlour last Friday morning. Foday Saidy, a 25-year-old delivery man from Gambia, was armed with a kitchen knife with a damaged blade when he held up the shop attendant at the Izibet outlet on Princess Margaret Street, Msida. He made off with €1900 in cash. Police investigations focused on CCTV footage from the shop as well as evidence by the female shop attendant. Saidy was soon identified as a customer who frequently went to the betting outlet. Two days later, a policeman spotted him boarding a bus in Hamrun. He was arrested soon after. During interrogation, Saidy cooperated and admitted to the robbery, explained prosecuting Inspector Stephen Gulia. The accused also handed over the knife with the broken blade, as well as a backpack used in the holdup, explaining that he had done what he did because of financial problems. Saidy was charged with aggravated theft, holding the shop attendant against her will and carrying the knife in public without a police licence. He immediately signalled his intention to plead guilty. While he was granted...
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