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COURT has handed a two-year prison sentence suspended for four years to a 23-year-old Syr- ian man living in Marsa after admitting to driving without a licence and insurance, as well as making false declarations and using falsified documents. Auad Obayd Ali was ar- raigned under arrest before the court today, where he pleaded guilty to the charges brought against him. The charges relate to an in- cident on 4 October at around 11:30pm in Triq ix-Xatt ta' Xbiex, Msida. The court heard that Ali was stopped by police during a road check while driving a Ford. He admitted to driving the ve- hicle without a driving licence and without an insurance pol- icy covering third-party risks. Ali also admitted to knowing- ly making a false declaration and providing false informa- tion in a document intended for a public authority, with the aim of obtaining a benefit for himself. He further admitted to falsify- ing and knowingly making use of a falsified document. Ali was also charged with re- fusing to provide his personal details to a public officer and with providing false informa- tion concerning his identity, address and other particulars. Following his guilty plea, Ali was sentenced to two years in prison suspended for four years. The court also recommended that the Police Commissioner exercise his powers under the Immigration Act. Inspector Joseph Buhagiar prosecuted. Legal aid lawyer Martin Far- rugia appeared for Ali. Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech presided over the case. Reporting by Nicole Attard 6 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 7 OCTOBER 2026 NEWS 23-year-old handed suspended sentence after driving without licence, insurance Court has handed a two-year prison sentence suspended for four years to a 23-year-old Syrian man living in Marsa after admitting to driving without a licence and insurance, as well as making false declarations and using falsified documents Man admits charges involving false declarations and falsified documents after police stopped him during a road check in Msida THE Ghanaian man accused of strangling Miriam Azzopar- di told police that he grabbed her by the neck while they were having sex in a Marsa field, a police inspector testified in court today. Isaac Asare, 34, was charged with the femicide of Azzopardi on 25 September. He was also accused of stealing her mobile phone and other belongings. He pleaded not guilty and was remanded in custody. 48-year-old Miriam Azzopar- di was found lifeless in a field in Marsa on 23 September. Inspector Kurt Colombo Zahra, from the Major Crimes Homicide Squad, testified dur- ing the first compilation of evi- dence, taking the court through the investigation which led to Asare's arrest. The inspector said police were informed on 23 Septem- ber that a woman's body had been discovered in a field in Triq is-Salib tal-Marsa. When he arrived at the scene, Azzopardi was lying face-up and appeared lifeless, with visi- ble marks on her neck. She was wearing black trousers which were not properly pulled up and a black shirt and had no shoes on. A red handbag was found nearby. Police initially suspected the victim was Azzopardi. Her identity was later confirmed after her brother arrived at the scene and provided details about identifying tattoos on her body. The court heard that an au- topsy established that Azzo- pardi died from asphyxiation due to strangulation, with her death estimated to have oc- curred around 12 hours before her body was discovered. CCTV showed Azzopardi en- tering field but never leaving Investigators subsequent- ly collected CCTV footage to reconstruct Azzopardi's final movements. At around 10:03pm on 22 September, Azzopardi was seen being approached by a man near the BOV in Mar- sa. Five minutes later, the two were seen walking towards the field. At around 11:17pm, the man was captured leaving the field alone. Azzopardi was never seen leaving. Police then used CCTV foot- age to track the man towards Triq il-Ġiżwiti in Marsa, lead- ing investigators to suspect that he was staying in the area. Officers were deployed to lo- cate him and he was eventually seen leaving a nearby property. He was subsequently arrested after officers confirmed that he appeared to be the same man seen in the CCTV footage. When questioned, the man told police that he lived at the Waterfront Hotel in Sliema, however during a search on his person, police found a set of keys that opened the residence that he was seen leaving from. A pair of Nike sliders with red straps was found in the com- mon area. The inspector said they appeared to match those worn by the man captured on CCTV. Three mobile phones were also seized, including a black iPhone which was identified as belonging to Azzopardi. 'I grabbed her by the neck' During his interrogation, the accused told police that he had known Azzopardi for around two years and that she used to bring food to the apartment where he and others lived. Asked about the night of her death, he said he approached Azzopardi at around 10pm and asked her for sex. He claimed she asked for €10 in exchange and that they then went into the field. "While I was realising myself, I grabbed her by the neck," the accused told investigators, ac- cording to Colombo Zahra's tes- timony. He initially told police that he had spent around 10 to 15 min- utes with Azzopardi. However, investigators confronted him with CCTV footage showing that he had remained in the field with her for around one hour and nine minutes. The accused then said they had first spoken, had sex and that he later left. Investigators also questioned him about Azzopardi's phone, which was allegedly found in a black bag in his possession. He claimed that Azzopardi had sold him the phone for €20. Attorney General lawyer Kay- lie Bonnet prosecuted, assisted by police inspectors Kurt Zahra, Wayne Camilleri and Miriam Lia. Lawyers Arthur Azzopardi, Franco Debono and Matthew Xuereb appeared parte civile on behalf of the victim's family. Magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo is presiding over the case. If you or someone you know needs support, click here to reach out to professional help services available in Malta. Autopsy shows Miriam Azzopardi died from asphyxiation due to strangulation NICOLE ATTARD nattard@mediatoday.com.mt Law courts, Valletta