Two men charged with assaulting housemate over utility bills
Pair plead not guilty to causing grievous injuries as court denies bail
Two men were denied bail after pleading not guilty to causing grievous injuries to their housemate in an argument over utility bills.
Srinivas Maskanti, 45, and Kazamuinoddin Mohammed, 44, both Indian nationals living in Birkirkara, appeared in court on Thursday afternoon where they were accused of grievously injuring their housemate and causing him fear that violence would be used against him.
They were also accused of threatening and insulting him, and wilfully breaching the public peace.
The pair denied the charges.
Police inspector Ylenia-Maria Xerri told the court that on April 7, the Birkirkara police station was informed about an argument at a residence in the locality. The police were told that someone had sustained injuries and that medical assistance had been requested.
When the officers arrived at the scene they found Maskanti and Mohammed. They also noticed blood on the floor and the ground outside the residence, and the house was in disorder.
Maskanti was offered medical assistance, which he refused, after the police noticed he had a cut lip. The officers established that the pair argued with their flatmate over utility bills.
The alleged victim, who sustained a cut to the nose, was taken to hospital by ambulance. Xerri explained that the alleged victim’s t-shirt was covered in blood and yellow material, later found to be curry.
Maskanti and Mohammed were arrested. The police seized a pressure cooker allegedly used in the argument. The inspector said that there was food splashed against the wall and over the sofa.
Lawyers Alex Scerri Herrera and Matthew Xuereb requested bail for both men, arguing that if they are kept under preventive custody they would lose their job and would end up in a situation where they could not work but cannot leave the islands due to pending criminal proceedings.
The court denied the pair bail and they were remanded in custody.
Magistrate Tanya Sammut presided.
AG lawyer Celine Fenech prosecuted alongside police inspector Ylenia-Marie Xerri.
Lawyers Alex Scerri Herrera and Matthew Xuereb appeared for the accused.