Positive NYE reports by establishments despite COVID spike

Jan 4 2022

Despite the massive amounts of cancellations of bookings and mass events due to a surge in COVID cases, hotels and restaurants reported a generally positive New Year’s Eve. Times of Malta was informed by MHRA president Tony Zahra that business was as good as could be expected the epidemiological situation.

From the hotels’ perspective, he said, the association received reports of good occupancies over the new year. Restaurants also reported good business on New Year’s Eve, despite many working at below capacity. January and February still remain a concern however should cases continue to spike. The newsroom was also informed by Matthew Pace, from the association of catering establishments, that New Year’s Eve appeared to have been far better than Christmas Eve.

Even though sales still fell short of pre-pandemic levels, Pace said that this small but significant confidence in going out was due to people realising that hospitalisations are low coupled with high vaccination rates. As of January 17th, valid vaccine certificates will be mandatory for entry into most establishments. Owners are asking to be informed on how this measure will work out in practice.

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Photo Source: Old Town La Quinta, The Conversation

Autopsy confirms Paulina was raped and strangled

Jan 3 2022

The autopsy has been concluded on the recently murdered Paulina Dembska, revealing that the assailant Abner Aquilina raped and strangled her. TVM was informed that the autopsy resulted that the young Polish student was raped and had marks indicating that she was suffocating by her alleged killer.

Police revealed some 24 hours after the arrest that they had to suspend the interrogation as the youth was admitted at My Carmel hospital following advice by Mater Dei doctors.

The latest development appears to affect the course of justice in connection with the murder case until Abner can be certified to be arraigned in Court to face charges on the case. Paulina Dembska, 29, was found murdered in Independence Gardens in Sliema on Sunday morning. The murder was reported to have entered a church and caused a commotion prior to arrest.

Legal experts told TVM that due to the victim having no alleged connection to the victim and him being referred to Mt Carmel, police are not bound to arraign the alleged murderer in Court within 48 hours since his arrest. He was also allegedly well known to police due to some crimes committed in recent years. A vigil for Paulina will be held tomorrow.

Gordon Manche distances River of Love from Sliema murder suspect

Jan 3 2022

Following recent claims linking Dembska murder suspect Abner Aquilina to controversial evangelist movement River of Love, pastor Gordon Manche has stated that the 20-year-old never formed part of the movement.

Recently-surfaced online media showed Aquilina alongside a River of Love member who repeatedly called him brother and while ‘sad and shocked’ by the news, Manche stated that the movement knows nothing about the man and they have nothing to do with him in any way.

Claiming to be ‘sad and shocked by the news’, the pastor revealed that just like any other church, walk-ins can come and go at any time and they have no control over them, going on so say that they ‘pray for the victim and hope things will be done with utmost integrity. ‘During his interrogation, Aquilina reportedly said that he is a “soldier of God” and “doing God’s work” before it was suspended and he was referred to Mount Carmel hospital to be kept under observation.

29-year-old Paulina Dembska was found by a passer by, lifeless at Sliema’s Ġnien Indipendenza at around 6:30am, with signs of violence around her chest and neck. Aquilina was arrested shortly after the murder, where he entered the Balluta church to create a commotion and overturn chairs before being escorted outside by two men who called the police.

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Women’s Rights Foundation announces vigil for Paulina Dembska tomorrow

Jan 3 2022

A press release by the ‘Women’s Rights Foundation’ titled ‘Femicide of Paulina Dembska’ announced a vigil to be held tomorrow 4th January 2022. The press statement began by stating that when the Malta Observatory on Femicide was launched last month, they never would have expected to have a new case of a woman dying at the hands of a man so soon.

‘Sadly, the latest case just proves the point that the observatory is very much needed’ it continued. The press release said that, despite details being scant, we know her name – Paulina Dembska.

‘She suffered one of the most brutal forms of Gender Based Violence against Women. We are adding her name to the long list of names of women whose life was cut short because of misogyny and relentless male violence caused by it.’ The press release stated that there is no way of putting it any other way – ‘the cause of her demise, and those of others before her, is men.

We can talk about laws, we can introduce new and tougher punishments, but until we deal with the root cause, we are a far cry from ensuring that women will not be abused and killed on account of their gender.’

‘We call on authorities and policy makers to accept responsibility for failing to prevent femicide and step up their game. We call on our legal and judicial system to once and for all take femicide, gender based violence & violence against women seriously and ensure that perpetrators are held accountable and dissuasive punishments meted out.’

‘We call on our political class to take the lives and wellbeing of the women living in this country in a serious and comprehensive manner. Ultimately, we call on all good people in Malta to see that the solution to violence on women lies in all of us.’

The vigil will be held tomorrow 4th January 2022 at 6pm Exiles, Sliema, with the press release asking those attending to bring a candle.

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