A man was denied bail at his arraignment on Friday after pleading not guilty to creating a disturbance and resisting arrest, leading a court to observe that such incidents against the police were on the rise.

Fosso Toche Joel, a 30-year-old Cameroon national living in Mosta, was arrested shortly before 4am on Sunday, after police had been alerted to a disturbance at an establishment in Spinola Road, St Julian’s. 

The man, suspected of kicking up the commotion, had allegedly threatened a sergeant and two constables, before fleeing from the scene with officers from the Rapid Intervention Unit at his heels. 

While being arrested, the man had allegedly grabbed the sergeant by the throat. 

Some 6.5 grams of cannabis and an ecstasy pill were found in his possession, together with 50 empty sachets. 

The man was taken to court on Friday, charged with assaulting the police officers, violently resisting arrest, insulting and threatening the officers, disobeying legitimate orders and breaching the peace. 

He was further charged with possession of cannabis in circumstances indicating that the drug was not for his personal use, possession of ecstasy aggravated by the fact that the offence took place within 100 metres of a meeting place for youths. 

A request for bail was objected to by the prosecution. 

The court, presided over by magistrate Joseph Mifsud, upheld the objections and remanded the accused in custody, observing that “the police deserve to be protected, respected and obeyed.

“The forces of law and order must be protected by the Courts, as it is in the best interests of society that police officers are allowed to work in peace,” magistrate Mifsud said. 

Inspector Joseph Xerri prosecuted. Lawyer Fransina Abela was legal aid counsel.