Twenty migrants were arraigned on Friday over their alleged involvement in a violent incident that broke out on Wednesday at the Marsa reception centre, sparked off by some rowdy detainees who set fire to one of the dormitories.
The men, the second group of detainees to be arraigned this week after another 22 migrants were taken to court on Wednesday over a similar episode at the Safi detention centre, were remanded in custody at the end of Friday’s hearing.
The prosecution explained how shortly before 1pm on Wednesday, police had been alerted to a fire at the Marsa centre where clouds of black smoke were seen billowing out of one of the dormitories, reportedly referred to as “the gym”.
Once the flames had been put out by officers from the Civil Protection Department, investigators spoke to security guards on duty at the time when the incident broke out.
They explained how protests had been going on at the centre all morning, with migrants insisting on speaking to AWAS representatives and demanding “freedom” to leave the centre.
Allegedly angered by the fact that their demands were not met, a number hurled hard objects and dragged benches.
The four culprits who had allegedly sparked off the fire were subsequently identified by other migrants who had spotted them walking towards the dormitory, amid talk of “fire,” the court was told.
Twenty migrants were later arrested and taken to the police headquarters.
They were mainly African nationals from different countries including Guinea, Mali, Nigeria, Sudan, Gambia and Senegal. One was a Bangladeshi migrant.
Ages ranged between 15 and 30, with five minors among the group - a 15-year old, one aged 16 and two aged 17.
Sixteen of the migrants were charged with voluntary damage to third party property, participating in a riot, refusing to obey police orders and breaching the peace, with shouting and chants of “freedom”.
Another four were additionally charged with setting fire to the place. This latter group included the 15-year-old and one of the 17-year-olds.
These four were arraigned separately, going first before the larger group, each of them pleading not guilty.
All were remanded in custody. No request for bail was made at this stage.
The second group soon filed into the hall, standing around the dock which was not sufficiently large to take them all.
Twelve of the second group pleaded not guilty, one of them saying that he had only been trying to act as translator when the protests broke out, kneeling down in the courtroom in tears.
All were remanded in custody for their case to be assigned to another court.
Three of the remaining four, who pleaded guilty, were each condemned to a nine-month effective jail term. The last one, being a minor, was condemned to a seven-month jail term.
At the start of the hearing, legal aid lawyer Leontine Calleja, informed the Court she was assisting all migrants solely at the arraignment stage and requested that other lawyers be appointed to assist throughout the continuation of proceedings, pointing out that this was necessary to avoid possible conflicts of interest between the migrants.
Magistrate Gabriella Vella presided over the arraignment.
Inspectors Sarah Zerafa and Paul Camilleri prosecuted. Lawyer Leontine Calleja was legal aid counsel.