Passenger suffered 10cm wound in altercation with cab driver, court told
Alleged victim gave driver extra €10 to avoid trouble, but was punched, followed and stabbed
A Brazilian cab passenger who allegedly told off a cab driver about his reckless driving sustained a 10-centimetre laceration, a consultant orthopaedic told a court this week.
Mohamed Bashir Ibrahim Aljalli is accused of stabbing a Brazilian passenger in Valletta after a dispute over reckless driving and an additional payment demand.
Criminal proceedings against the 37-year-old Libyan cab driver resumed this week. He is pleading not guilty.
The passenger sustained grievous injuries that are also permanent.
On Tuesday, consultant orthopaedic Jason Zammit told court, presided over by Magistrate Monica Vella, that the victim was admitted to hospital with an open wound.
He had to undergo surgery following the assault. The man had a 10cm laceration close to the shoulder blade on the right.
In October, the victim testified that the taxi driver stabbed him in the shoulder after he asked him to drive slowly.
The man told the court he warned the driver more than three times to slow down because he was driving recklessly and too close to the curb. However, the victim said the driver told him not to interfere with his work and said, “welcome to Malta”.
When they arrived in Valletta, the driver requested payment for the trip even though it had already been paid through the application.
The victim said he gave the driver an extra €10 to avoid trouble. The driver, not satisfied with this, allegedly got out of the taxi and tried to intimidate him by offending him and even punched him in the jaw.
As the victim walked away, he noticed a shadow following him, and when he turned around, he saw the driver coming for him with a blade in hand. The man stabbed him in the shoulder, and the victim ended up at Mater Dei Hospital for treatment.
Magistrate Monica Vella presided over the court.
Lawyer Brendan Hewer prosecuted on behalf of the AG’s Office together with police inspector Gabriel Micallef.
Lawyer Francesca Zarb is assisting the victim.
Legal aid lawyer Julia Micallef Stafrace appeared for the accused.
The case continues on 6 May.