An abandoned farmhouse, cold and damp, hidden among abandoned buildings and torn-down fences. No water, no bed, no way to call for help. It was here that an Italian woman was held captive for days after refusing to work as a prostitute. A 19-year-old Gambian man reportedly kidnapped her. He took her cell phone, blindfolded her, undressed her, and pinned her to a chair with duct tape and ties around her wrists and ankles, leaving her in a state of total subjugation.

According to investigators, his captivity began on December 29th and ended only on New Year's morning when his screams attracted attention outside a dilapidated complex in the Salinella district of Taranto. Immediately after his release by officers of the Flying Squad, alerted by a security guard, the 19-year-old was arrested, believed to be responsible for a long series of violent acts culminating in the kidnapping. The officers located him in the immediate vicinity of the farmhouse and, during their investigations, found him in possession of a key compatible with one of the doors of the building where the woman had been held captive. He will face charges of kidnapping, stalking, aggravated assault, and attempted sexual assault.

The investigative documents, coordinated by prosecutor Francesca Colaci, describe a scenario consistent with a detention lasting several days. When officers intervened, the woman was exhausted from the cold, clearly agitated, and unable to leave her confinement within a fenced area on her own. To save her, they had to help her climb over a fence. Her physical and psychological condition immediately made the officers realize the gravity of the situation. Inside the building, they found objects described by the victim as instruments of restraint and violence: ropes, a belt, bladed weapons, and her dead cell phone.

The woman told investigators that she was repeatedly threatened, beaten, and forced to remain tied up, explaining that she also heard the voices of other men while blindfolded. She said the violence and stalking began in March of last year. Among the reported incidents were burns to her fingers from a hot blade, which were later discovered by medical personnel during the forensic examination. The 19-year-old, represented by lawyer Patrizia Raciti, appeared this morning before preliminary investigations judge Francesco Maccagnano. According to reports, during questioning he denied all charges. The investigating judge confirmed the arrest and ordered his pre-trial detention, emphasizing the seriousness of the conduct and the real risk of repetition of the crimes.

(Unioneonline)

© Riproduzione riservata