A brawl that broke out inside a Birkirkara residence on Sunday evening landed three co-tenants in court where they pleaded not guilty to grievously injuring a man during the fight apparently linked to prostitution.
Dampha Tauman, 24, Kah Abdoulie, 24 and Musa Bayo, 26 were charged over the violent incident that took place between 9.30 and 11.30pm at the residence which the trio shared in Mannarino Street, Birkirkara.
A man reported that he had been attacked by the co-accused.
The alleged victim was subsequently certified as having suffered fractures to his hands and various cuts to his face and back.
The police received conflicting versions about the incident.
An argument, apparently related to the prostitution of a woman who was the girlfriend of one of the accused, appears to have triggered the physical violence.
The three housemates were charged with grievously injuring the other man, stealing the woman’s mobile phone and other belongings, insulting and threatening the alleged victim, as well as relapsing.
When asked for his personal details, Tauman replied, “I didn’t go to school. I don’t read or write. See my papers.”
He eventually did confirm his name and surname, age, address and parents’ details, saying that he worked in construction but only “helping someone”.
Abdoulie also did not remember his age, but supplied other details and pleaded not guilty, adding “I’m innocent”.
The third accused, Bayo, was more straightforward in his replies giving all personal details as requested and saying that he worked as storekeeper at a bathroom store.
Bayo’s lawyers, Franco Debono and Francesca Zarb, put forward a request for bail and produced the accused’s employer as witness to support that request.
The man, who was following proceedings in court, testified that throughout the six or eight months that Bayo had been in his employment he had caused no problems.
“He is schooled and not the kind of person to cause trouble,” said the witness.
“I can vouch for him. Sometimes I joke that he’s like the sun, always present and always on time.”
“That’s why I’m here,” said the employer, describing Bayo as “very trustworthy”.The prosecution voiced concern over the request for bail, arguing that the accused frequented the same areas as the alleged victim and, therefore, presented a risk of tampering with evidence.
Moreover, he shared the same residence as other civilian witnesses who were still to testify.
However, that objection was neutralised by the defence who turned to the accused’s employer asking whether he could provide an alternative address for Bayo.
The man supplied an address in Qawra for that purpose.
After hearing those submissions and testimony, the court, presided over by Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech, upheld the request against a deposit of €500, a personal guarantee of €6,500, signing the bail book three times weekly and under a curfew between 11.30pm and 5am.
No request for bail was made in respect of the other two co-accused whose lawyer, Mario Caruana, explained that the men had no alternative address nor fixed employment.
Inspectors Clayton Camilleri and Andrew Agius Bonello prosecuted.