Man acquitted of injuring butcher shop employee

A 38-year-old man was acquitted of injuring a man who works in a butcher shop in Paola.

Ahmed M Ahmed Aqeil, a Libyan national living in Birkirkara, was arraigned in court and accused of injuring Achuil Abdalla, causing damage to a butcher shop in Paola and breaching the public peace.

He denied the charges.

Police inspector Antonello Magri explained that the owner of the shop filed a report at the Paola police station on August 15, telling the officers that there had been an argument between a client and his employee Abdalla. 

The officers went on site and found several items broken, including glass jars. They also spotted red stains on the floor, initially believed to be blood.

Abdalla told the police that a Libyan man (Aqeil) and a woman entered the shop and argued over meat. 

Abdalla alleged that Aqeil assaulted him.

While the police were still at the shop, Aqeil, who was visibly injured, returned and was arrested immediately. Aqeil’s injuries were certified as grievous.

Abdalla was also arrested and arraigned separately over the incident.

In the criminal proceedings against Aqeil, Abdalla testified, saying a woman named Leila entered the shop and complained of a bad smell.

She then proceeded to take some things and informed the witness she would not pay for them. When he told her that she had to pay, the woman allegedly insulted him and threw the objects she had taken at him. She also informed him that she would call the police.

Abdalla said he tried to call the shop owner, who did not answer the phone.

The woman returned to the shop, accompanied by Aqeil, some 15 to 20 minutes later.

Abdalla said Aqeil grabbed him by the neck and asked him why he had hit the woman.

Abdalla told the court that he took out his phone to record the altercation, but the woman took it and fled. As Abdalla tried to retrieve his phone, Aqeil assaulted him, according to the testimony.

The man explained that Aqeil grabbed a bottle of tomatoes and threw it at him. The witness fell to the floor, and Aqeil approached him with another bottle in hand, trying to hit him on the head.

Abdalla said he protected his head using his hands and sustained injuries.

In his statement to the police, Aqeil said Abdalla had allegedly hit a woman, and he had returned to the shop to resolve the situation.

Aqeil said that Abdalla grabbed him by the t-shirt and hit him on the nose with oil and tomato paste bottles. He denied hitting Abdalla, telling the officers that there was nothing for him to be sorry about, because he had gone there to speak with the employee and not to cause any trouble.

In their submissions, the prosecution argued that their case had been proven by the evidence brought forward, while the defence countered that the court should rely on the testimony given by the medico-legal expert who said that it could not be confirmed whether Abdalla’s injuries were related to the incident in question.

The court, in its considerations, acquitted Aqeil of injuring Abdalla slightly, saying that such an offence requires the criminal complaint of the injured party, and in this case, it was the owner of the shop who lodged the report.

On the charge relating to the damages, the court observed that the owner of the shop was not called to testify and confirm the damages. It highlighted that it was essential for the prosecution to substantiate the charge brought against the accused, and it was up to the prosecution to bring the best evidence.

Aqeil was also acquitted of breaching the public peace since the argument took place inside a shop and not in a public place.

Aqeil was acquitted of all the charges brought against him.

Magistrate Nadine Sant Lia presided.

Police inspector Antonello Magri prosecuted.