Worker says he was pulled out of minibus, punched during strike

A Somali man told a court today that during an incident last Tuesday during the bus strike, he was pulled by his hair out of a white (private) minibus and punched in the face.

He gave his evidence in the case instituted by the police against bus driver Francis Cassar, who is accused of involvement in violent incidents in Floriana yesterday week. Mr Cassar is denying the charges.

Manuel Montanaro, the driver of the minibus, said he was taking the Somali worker home at about 11.30 p.m. As he approached the war memorial in Floriana, some 50 people blocked his way, forcing him to stop.

The men started rocking the van and he heard somebody tell the men to leave him alone. Mr Montanaro said he did not know what had happened to his passenger.

Paramount Coach driver Charlie Camilleri told the court that earlier that day he had been driving up Crucifix Hill in Floriana when a group of some 50 men blocked the street. He thought said that they would not attack him as he knew most of them, but they started banging on his bus. A rear view mirror and then the windscreen were broken. His right hand was slightly injured.

Mr Camilleri said he had only recognised one of the men, Francis Cassar, who he saw holding the rear view mirror before somebody took it from him.

Defence Lawyer Gianella Caruana Curran asked the court presided by Magistrate Tonio Micallef Trigona to grant bail to the accused, pointing out that the most important witnesses had now testified.

Magistrate Micallef Trigona after taking the defence argument into consideration granted Mr Cassar bail against a personal guarantee of €5,000 and a deposit of €1,000.