A 31-year-old Japanese man, Okamura Satoshi, has pleaded guilty to luring, torturing, and killing stray cats in Sliema. He also admitted to slightly injuring two police officers during his arrest.
Satoshi, an iGaming employee residing in Sliema, was apprehended by police around 3am on Manuel Dimech Street. He was found carrying latex gloves and cat food—items similar to those linked to earlier cat killings in the area.
His arrest followed a wave of disturbing reports on social media, with at least five cats found dead or mutilated in Sliema over recent weeks. One cat had its tail severed, another had part of its tongue removed, and CCTV footage showed a man violently slamming a cat—known locally as “Pupa”—to the ground. The cat was later found dead on the same spot.
Police intensified patrols and used CCTV footage from July 19–20 to trace the suspect to a nearby residence. On June 11, Satoshi was seen on camera killing one cat, then attempting to lure another using treats. That second cat was found dead two days later.
During his arrest, Satoshi resisted and caused minor injuries to two officers. A search of his home uncovered matching clothes from the footage, laptops, and mobile phones. He was remanded in custody.
The court ordered a pre-sentencing report. The case was adjourned to September 15. Magistrate Nadine Sant Lia is presiding.
Photo: Chris Sant Fournier/timesofmalta.com
Sports Editor
Veteran Journalist
Leave a Reply