A man charged in connection with a shooting outside a Gżira bar in November was granted bail on Wednesday after the court found all the pre-requisites for a release had been met by the accused.
Proceedings against Christopher Philip Agius continued in front of Magistrate Kevan Azzopardi on Wednesday, with the court hearing from a police sergeant who was on the scene shortly after the shooting occurred on the Gżira seafront.
Officers had received word that there was a person who appeared to be injured lying on the ground.
When police approached him, they observed that he appeared to have sustained an injury on his leg and was wailing “black gold, black gold” as they tried to speak to him.
The incident had occurred just a few doors down from the Black Gold Saloon and the police headed there where they spoke to the barman.
They said the barman told them that the victim was seen arguing with two people inside the establishment and a security guard had kicked them out.
Shortly after this, he told the police he heard a noise from outside that he thought was the sound of glass shattering but later turned out to be a gunshot.
Upon questioning, the security guard also corroborated these events and said that after he had kicked the three men out, he had seen one of them draw a gun.
This is when he immediately went back inside and promptly called the police.
Making a case for bail, defence lawyer Arthur Azzopardi there was no longer a fear that the accused could potentially tamper with evidence as all civilian witnesses had testified.
Moreover, much of the incident had been captured on CCTV which had already been confirmed preserved in evidence.
There is also very little fear that Agius posed a threat of absconding, as he has a four-year-old daughter who is dependent on him, Azzopardi continued.
The accused’s former partner and her mother still had a good relationship with him and had pleaded to the court that liberating him would be in the best interest of the child.
Agius, he said, had “ticked all the boxes” to satisfy bail requirements, having a steady job waiting for him and a third-party guarantor, referred to as his “adoptive father”, willing to make good on bail conditions.
The prosecution objected to the request for bail, referring to Agius’ past drug problem and criminal record, saying that the best interest of society must also be protected.
Azzopardi rebutted that two separate decrees had declared Agius eligible for bail and that he had been free of his drug problem for 10 years.
The court granted bail against a €5,000 deposit and a €25,000 personal guarantee, imposing a curfew between 7pm and 7am.
“Stay away from bad company, because that’s what leads you to making mistakes,” Magistrate Azzopardi told Agius.
“Remember that you have a daughter who depends on you as well as her mother, they need you as well.”
The case was adjourned to continue in April.
Lawyers David Gatt and Jacob Magri also appeared for Agius.
AG lawyer Etienne Savona prosecuted.