Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/374383
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 3 SEPTEMBER 2014 News 6 MUSEUM catechist charged with defiling 10-year-old boy released on bail Libyan feud spills over into Malta Somali who tried to escape from Malta remanded in custody Drunkard assaulted police A MUSEUM catechist charged with defiling a 10-year-old boy was yesterday released on bail against a deposit of €500 and a personal guarantee of €2,500 with Magis- trate Audrey Demicoli upholding the defence's request. Anthony Callus, 46, of Siggiewi, a school assistant head and a treas- urer of the society of Christian doctrine MUSEUM, is pleading not guilty to corrupting, harassing, and violently indecently assaulting a 10-year-old boy at Bahar ic-Caghaq on Sunday, 24 August. The defence's plea for bail was turned down by the court during Callus' arraignment after prose- cuting inspector Josric Mifsud told the court that bail should not be granted until the main witnesses are heard, and in addition, claim- ing that granting bail would be an "obstacle to the administration of justice." However, on Monday, the defence, represented by law yers Arthur Az- zopardi and Kathleen Grima, reiterated their plea for bail, and Magistrate Audrey Demicoli upheld the defence's request and released Callus on bail. Handing down her judgment in her cham- bers yesterday, Magistrate Demicoli also or- dered Callus to sign a bail sheet once a week at the Qormi police station, and also ordered him to stay away from places frequented by children attending MUSEUM. This condi- tion was laid down after Callus resigned from his post as treasurer at MUSEUM and also from his post as an assistant head at St Michael's Church school in Sta Venera. The alleged incident occurred on Sunday 24 August, when the accused was swimming at Bahar ic-Caghaq during a MUSEUM event. On Monday, the 10-year-old boy was sum- monsed to testif y against Callus, but a crim- inal court ordered that this be heard behind closed doors. Journalists were subsequently ordered to leave the court room. Inspector Josric Mifsud prosecuted, while law yers Arthur Azzopardi and Kathleen Grima are defence counsel. The case has been put off to October 8. TWO Libyan men from different tribes were yesterday handed an 18-month imprison- ment term suspended for three years after they admitted to grievously injuring each other following an argument sparked by the ongoing political turmoil and the infighting between rival militias in Libya. The court heard that on 9 August, 22-year- old Sof yan Salem, from Tripoli, and 29-year- old Fathi Ahmed Al Gamudi, from Misrata, clashed in St Julian's at around 5:30am. For weeks, a coalition of hardline mili- tias from Misrata and eastern Libya have been engaged in a violent power struggle with government-supported militias from Zintan. Last month, the Misrata militias captured Tripoli's International Airport as they attempt to control the country's exit and entry points which for the past three years have been used to smuggle oil, gold, cash and humans. Magistrate Miriam Hayman also heard that the argument reached boiling point af- ter the two men started throwing glass bot- tles at each other as well as punches. Both Salem and Al Gamudi suffered griev- ous injuries at the hands of one another. They were hospitalised, and certified to have injuries to their arm, head and face. In reprimanding the accused for their fighting, Magistrate Hayman insisted that while the ongoing civil war in Libya is "not ideal, it should not be brought to Malta." "God willing that the fighting in Libya stops as there is nothing better than peace, but any clashes and political turmoil should stay in Libya and not spill over to Malta. "They barely know what they are fighting about, people do not learn from history," she added. Both men pleaded guilty to fighting and grievously injuring each other. The defence told the court that it was an "unfortunate incident," brought about by the political turmoil in Libya. Moreover, the defence held that the two men, who are students in Malta, have since apologised to each other and have buried the hatchet. Taking this into account, the Magistrate handed the men an 18-month imprisonment term suspended for three years. Law yer Leon Bencini appeared for Sof yan Salem, while law yer Noel Bartolo was legal aid for Al Gamudi. Inspector Elton Taliana prosecuted. AN 18-year-old Somali youth who tried to leave Malta on board an SAS flight to Den- mark on Monday has been remanded in cus- tody after pleading not guilty to using anoth- er man's passport to try to leave Malta. Abas Ali Hanishi was caught using the oth- er's man passport while passing through the check in at the Malta International Airport. The youth, who arrived in Malta by boat in the summer of 2013, is said to have tried to go to Copenhagen so he could be with his sister. Ali Hanishi is said to have claimed to be another Somali man in an effort to bypass airport security. The other person, whom sources have identified as simply being a middle-aged Somali man, has yet to be ques- tioned by the police. Standing in court yesterday, the youth pleaded not guilty to using another man's passport and to making false declarations. No request for bail was made, and the 18- year-old was remanded in custody. Inspector Edel Mary Camilleri prosecuted. A 19-year-old man was yesterday handed an 18-month jail term suspended for three years after admitting to assaulting two police offic- ers during the early hours of Monday morn- ing. Ahmed Mooge Ahmed, 19, of Somalia, also admitted to disobeying police orders, to be- ing in a drunken state, and to breaching the public peace. The incident occurred on Monday at about 5:45am, when patrolling officers spotted the accused shouting at and banging on a tel- ephone box in Paceville. The officers subse- quently approached the man to calm down the situation. However, the youth, who was in a drunken state, took exception to the police's presence and grabbed PC Daniel Zammit by the neck and also tried to bite PC Joseph Camilleri be- fore being arrested. In its submissions, the defence held that the accused was a first-time offender and that he had cooperated with the police, consequently arguing that a suspended sentence would suffice. Magistrate Miriam Hayman handed the man an 18-month imprisonment term sus- pended for three years. Lawyer Noel Bartolo was legal aid while In- spector Elton Taliana prosecuted. A power struggle is raging in Libya between rival militias