A 28-year-old man denied masturbating on a bus in front of two 14-year-old boys, a court heard on Friday.

When asked how he pleaded, Abdulsalam Yahya, a Sudanese national, laughed, pleaded not guilty and said “never” with the help of an interpreter.

The alleged incident happened on Wednesday evening when the two boys caught a public bus from the airport to Marsascala, Inspector Kurt Farrugia explained.

Farrugia said police received a report from the boys, who said they saw the accused staring at them and making hand gestures as if he was masturbating.

The boys called their parents “around six times” when they noticed that he was acting strangely.

Shortly after, the accused flashed the two boys and continued to make hand gestures.

Farrugia said one boy called his father in a state of panic and asked him to pick them up from the bus stop.

When the boys got off the bus in Marsascala, Yahya got off at the same stop and followed them. When the accused saw the boys' father, he turned and walked the other way.

The father took the minors to the police station to file a report, and the police arrested the accused shortly after.

Bail was not requested.

The court was presided over by magistrate Gabriella Vella, and the accused remained under arrest.

Lawyer Jennifer Polidano appeared for the Attorney General.