A woman who distrusted banks so much that she carried her entire life savings with her has told a court how she was robbed of €40,000 cash just weeks before Christmas.She was giving evidence in the ongoing criminal case against Jonathan Felice, 37, from Qormi, and Ryan Briffa, 35, from Marsa, both of whom are denying charges including aggravated theft and causing slight injuries as reported by Times of Malta.The victim told the court she was heading to work in Paola when the incident unfolded. At the time, she was carrying three bags: one with work-related items, another with water, and a third containing the money.She said the attacker came up from behind and snatched the bag holding the cash. She tried to fight back and even chased after him, but he managed to escape. A nearby worker who was repairing a lift noticed her distress, checked on her and immediately contacted the police.The woman also told the court that a man known as il-Kobra, later identified as Simon Busuttil, went to the police station to ask her what had happened, saying that police had summoned him. She said he had recovered her mobile phone, but she only received it back days later from a police inspector.When questioned about the cash, she explained it was made up of banknotes kept inside a plastic bag placed in a black handbag, which also held her wallet.“I couldn’t keep the money at home. I always worked and saved money. Sometimes I buy a packet of cigarettes or bread and pay my licence and insurance,” she said.She confirmed that walking to work was not unusual for her.Speaking about “Simon”, she said she had met him at a każin in Qormi, where he offered her a beer. They later spent a day together and became friends. She recalled him telling her he had €30,000 in the bank, to which she replied that she also had money saved.“I couldn’t keep the money at home. I always worked and saved money,” she repeated.On the morning of the mugging, she told Simon she planned to walk to Santa Luċija because the weather was nice. Along the way, a man stopped his car to ask for a lighter, while a pastizzi shop worker greeted her. She said she was unfamiliar with both.The woman told the court she had saved the money herself and had closed her bank accounts. She is paid by cheque and cashes it at the bank for a €5 fee.CCTV shows 40-second attackPolice inspector Lydon Zammit told the court that on 11th December, police were alerted after a maintenance worker on a pedestrian bridge along Vjal Sir Paul Boffa in Paola heard a woman screaming.The victim had fallen and was allegedly attacked by an unknown man, who made off with one of her bags containing €40,000 in cash, her wallet, mobile phone and personal documents.She was taken for medical treatment and later escorted to police headquarters. Zammit said the woman had a strong fear of leaving her savings either at home or in the bank and was known to carry the cash with her.Footage from a CCTV camera overlooking the bridge showed the entire incident lasted around 40 seconds. The woman suffered minor injuries after falling down the stairs, a drop of around one storey.She later told police she had walked from Birkirkara towards Santa Luċija and was attacked close to Transport Malta’s offices in Paola.She also said that Simon Aquilina, whom she had met three weeks earlier, was supposed to give her a lift to work after finishing his night shift. However, he phoned her at around 6am claiming his vehicle wouldn’t start, prompting her to walk instead.Police later questioned Aquilina, who denied having car trouble, saying he was simply too tired to drive. He told officers he knew the woman carried her life savings with her, as she had told him so, and said she would sometimes use that money to pay for drinks.Van, masks and phone dataAccording to police analysis of CCTV footage, the attacker deliberately approached the woman from behind and went straight for the handbag containing the cash before fleeing in the same direction.He then escaped in a Maruti Omni van, which had been reported stolen from Żabbar in November.Additional footage revealed that two men were involved: one following the woman on foot, while another drove the van and stayed close by. Cameras near the woman’s home captured the vehicle at around 6am. In Marsa, the driver stopped and the man on foot climbed into the back of the van.More footage later showed the two suspects exiting the vehicle and removing their masks. The men, who were already known to police, were identified. The van was eventually found parked in Santa Luċija, close to where Felice’s mother lives.Mobile phone data showed the suspects’ phones connecting to antennas along the same route taken by the victim.The court heard that Briffa was wearing clothing matching what was seen in the CCTV footage, while shoes believed to have been used during the attack were found at his residence.Felice was arrested after going to the Qormi police station, and a sweater he was wearing at the time of the alleged offence was later found at his mother’s home in Santa Luċija.Inspector Zammit said the woman works as a cleaner and had told police she never let her handbag out of her sight, even while working. He added that investigators found no link between Aquilina and the two accused men, and that neither the stolen bag nor the €40,000 were ever recovered.At the end of the hearing, the court ruled there was enough evidence for both men to be committed for trial.The case is being presided over by Magistrate Leonard Caruana. The prosecution is being led by Attorney General lawyer Marica Ciantar, assisted by police inspectors Lydon Zammit, Keith Rizzo and Gabriel Kitcher.José Herrera and David Camilleri are appearing for Briffa, while Edward Gatt and Shaun Zammit are representing Felice.•