Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/641079
2 maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 17 FEbruArY 2016 News Four arrested after argument in Tarxien Four individuals were arrested yesterday after an altercation in Tarxien left one officer injured and another with broken glasses. At about 1pm, three members of one Syrian family – a 47-year-old man, a 40-year-old woman and their 19-year-old son – and a 40- year-old man, resident in Bormla, were involved in an argument. It is understood that the argument be- gan after a civil court case, which was heard before the courts yes- terday, between the family and the father of the Bormla man. Police were called to the scene to calm the situation however one sergeant was slightly injured and one constable had his glasses bro- ken in the fray. The Bormla resident also sus- tained slight injuries. Police investigations are ongo- ing. Paceville brawler alleges police brutality Mat thew agius A young man, charged yesterday with assaulting police officers, told a court that he had received a beating at the hands of a police officer at the St Julian's police station when he went to file a re- port after a brawl in Paceville. 20-year-old Lee Michael robertson from Xemxija was charged with assault, resisting arrest and injuring another man when he was involved in fisti- cuffs outside a bar, close to the police station in St Julian's. rob- ertson appeared in court yes- terday with a heavily bandaged right hand - a result of the fight, and bruises on his forehead, al- legedly from the police beating. Defence law yer rachel Tua told the court that her client had been illegally arrested. robertson had been attacked whilst at the bar, and had injured his hand. He rushed to the police station, she said, but once he arrived he had been told to clear out of the sta- tion and wipe the blood off his hand before going back in. In the ensuing verbal exchange the officer, Tua said, made offen- sive remarks about the accused 's father. robertson was then al- legedly thrown to the ground by the officer, who slammed the man's head on the ground, the law yer said, also claiming that the accused had his injured arm cruelly twisted while he was be- ing handcuffed. She denied the prosecution's assertion that robertson had as- saulted police, adding that his friends had witnessed the inci- dent and would be summoned to testif y. Tua told magistrate Vella that the police refused to allow rob- ertson to speak to her during his arrest, instead holding him overnight and taking a state- ment the next morning - with the police officer who allegedly delivered the beating present in the interrogation room. The police had not even told him why he was being arrested, she said. "My client was then charged with injuring the person who, in fact, had injured him. Police are there to help citizens, not ter- rif y them," the law yer said. "The manner in which he was ar- rested was degrading and inhu- mane. There was no need to hit his face - you could have caused him permanent injury." Prosecuting Inspector Mat- thew Spagnol submitted that robertson had been arrested for refusing to give his particulars, injuring an officer, causing a commotion and fighting at the bar. The police had a duty to protect the public and had done their job, he said. The court ruled that the arrest was not illegal and granted rob- ertson bail against a personal deposit of €1,200 and a personal guarantee of €8,000, also order- ing him to sign a bail book once a week and observe a curfew. Officer admitted accepting box of 'awful' drink Continues froM Page 1 The missing box had been found in Grech's office, said the inspec- tor, adding that the accused had told him the sugary drinks tasted awful and were used during ra- madan to supplement calorific intake. He had allegedly told the inspector that he had accepted them as a payment of a courtesy by Al Gazale, for allowing him to access the area. one bright red can of the bev- erage, taken from the seized box, was shown to the court. Public officials are prohib- ited from accepting gifts in the course of their duties, said the Inspector, also pointing out that when questioned, the Libyan had told the police that he had known Grech for many years. Al Gazale had told investiga- tors that he had been waiting for the arrival of 10 cases of drinks from Tripoli. At the airport he had called Grech, who had told him that he was just behind the door and that he would allow him in the area, the inspector said. Al Gazale claimed that he had taken two boxes, but the inspector explained that he had only recovered one from the cus- toms official's desk. Lawyer Stefano Filletti, appear- ing for Grech, cross-examined the inspector, asking about the courtesy allegation, pointing out it did not emerge from any of the statements released by the ac- cused. He had explained this to the inspector informally, replied Ferris, but had chosen not to answer when the statement was taken. "So you do not have this acceptance in writing?" repeated the lawyer. He did not. Filletti moved on to the issue surrounding the access to the restricted area. Ferris explained that from what he had been told by the customs officials to whom he had spoken, this was not nor- mally permitted. The person accompanying the boxes had met Al Gazale at the arrivals hall and had told him to go in to the cargo area and so the accused was contacted and al- legedly asked for two boxes to be left behind, in return, he said. The Libyan denied receiving payment in any form from the accused, added the inspector, prompting the lawyer to ask how, then, had the transaction taken place. Ferris replied that Al Gazale had taken two boxes to the accused's office and left them there. Contrary to normal procedure, no receipt was given for the items withheld, and the box had been opened. The nor- mal procedure for sampling was not followed in this case. The prosecution could not confirm whether the two other eyewitnesses had been ques- tioned. He asked whether the police had checked the market value of the items, suggesting that they were sold in lots of 24 for a pit- tance. The Inspector said he had not, arguing that the pecuniary value was not relevant to the charges. "What did the accused gain, here, then?" Filletti asked. "He gained satisfaction that he ob- tained something as a payment for a favour," replied the Inspec- tor. "But if he took this as a pay- ment, why did he leave it there for a week for the rest of the cus- toms officials?" Grech had allegedly told the police that he had tasted the drink and found it to be sicken- ingly sweet and he did not care to take any more, the court was told. "Did you see the accused leav- ing with any boxes, or just Al Gazale?" asked the lawyer, say- ing the product was common in Malta and used by Muslims to supplement their diets during ramadan. "If a person, knowing he com- mitted a crime, accepted bribes, would he then leave the proceeds lying around in plain sight? Did no other official ask him what the box was there for?" asked Filletti, questioning how a box without a reference number or paper trail did not raise suspicion as a secu- rity risk in an airport. Filletti posited that the box had been left there by mistake and the accused had simply picked it up and placed it on the official's desk. "This is all derived from a sub- jective conversation between yourself and the accused," said the lawyer. "You do not have any concrete evidence." At the request of the prosecu- tion, the court appointed a tech- nical expert to extract stills from the CCTV footage, which will be exhibited during the next sit- ting. The case continues in March. Prime Minister Joseph Muscat yesterday evening officially inaugurated the new premises of the Malta Gaming Authority at SmartCity. Muscat said that the new gaming act, which will be presented in parliament next month, will once again put Malta ahead of its time by anticipating changes in the lucrative sector. MGA chairman Joseph Cuschieri (right) and parliamentary secretary Jose Herrera (centre) were also present.