An illegal immigrant who made a living through petty theft died after being run over four times by an Italian beach club owner after stealing his bag, a court considering a murder charge has heard.
In a shocking incident that took place in Viareggio, Tuscany, Italy, local media reports say that an Italian woman, Cinzia Dal Pino (65), described as a well-known and wealthy owner of a beach club, has been charged with murder after she took extraordinary steps to recover her belongings after being robbed.
An Italian court heard how 47-year-old Algerian immigrant Said Markoun allegedly threatened Ms Dal Pino with a knife as she was driving a white Mercedes SUV and stole her handbag from the car seat. Ms Dal Pino said she feared her house keys were still in the bag and that the man would use them. Reports Today in Italy, there was an influx of migrants following the incident on the evening of September 8th.
After pinning Mr. Markun against the storefront, Mr. Dal Pino then allegedly backed his car into him again. After being hit four times by the car, Mr. Markun died from his injuries. The defendant was able to recover his belongings and continue his journey, but not before returning to a restaurant where he had dined earlier that evening to return a loaner umbrella.
The court reportedly asked Dal Pino why she did not report the theft or the injuries sustained by her assailants to emergency services. She offered the excuse that she was initially not contacted because her mobile phone was in the handbag stolen by the Algerian, but then made no reply, as she remained silent about the incident even while returning the borrowed umbrella.
Prosecutors are seeking to bring a murder charge. Dal Pino has not denied ramming the man with her car but has said her intention was to disable him, not kill him. When asked why she rammed him, she told the judge: “He stole my bag so I just rammed him to stop him. I wanted to hit him in the leg so he wouldn't get away.”
She was initially held in a local jail but was released on house arrest pending her trial, and the judge said she will be required to wear an electronic tracking bracelet because she is a risk she will reoffend.
Local Outlets Reco della Lunigiana Notes The murdered Algerian did not have an Italian residence permit and made a living through crime. Attempts were made to deport him, but they failed because no country recognised him as a national. Protothema Suggest This may be because the man was living under a false name and may not have been Said Malkoun or Algerian.
Italian populist politician Matteo Salvini drew outrage from left-wing activists in his response to the trial this week, who accused him of justifying the crime. “A human death is always a tragedy and justice must be served. But this tragedy is the result of a crime. It would not have ended this way if the man who lost his life had not been a criminal,” Salvini wrote.
