Soldier cleared of injuring man in bar fight

A soldier was yesterday acquitted of injuring a man in a fight at a Zurrieq bar on August 13, 1999.

Mario Cassar, 28, of Birkirkara was acquitted by Magistrate Antonio Mizzi after several soldiers testified that Cassar was not in the bar where the incident took place.

Cassar was with a group of soldiers performing a swimming parade in Wied iz-Zurrieq. The truck used by the soldiers had hit a drain pipe while reversing and one of the officers informed the owner it would be repaired by the army.

But when the parade ended and the soldiers returned to the truck, they found the truck daubed with fuel and the hydraulic brake pipes had been hacked.

Two soldiers went to make a phone call from a bar and a fight broke out. Salvu Farrugia was injured in the fight. He then fetched a shotgun from upstairs and the soldiers dispersed.

The police intervened and both Farrugia and the soldiers had been ordered to go to the police headquarters where Farrugia identified Cassar in an identification parade.

Cassar denied having attacked Farrugia and said he had been standing near the truck and had never been inside the bar. Several soldiers corroborated Cassar's version.

The court said it had no reason to doubt the veracity of the witnesses and therefore acquitted Cassar.

Inspector Dominic Micallef prosecuted.

Dr Chris Cardona appeared for Cassar.