A man accused of stabbing a man to death in Marsa on Friday night has pleaded not guilty to the crime. 

Kinaan Abdinasir Noor, a 23-year old from Somalia, was arrested after an eyewitness allegedly identified him as the person who attacked the victim, a 25-year-old man from Eritrea. 

The incident happened at around 11.30pm on Friday night. Police found a man lying on a pavement on Triq Dicembru 13, bleeding from stab wounds on his chest. Sources said the man had been stabbed with a pair of scissors. 

Mr Noor explained in court on Monday that he was currently homeless after being thrown out by his former landlord when he failed to pay the rent.

Inspectors James Grech and Wayne Camilleri said they had spoken to a person who said they had witnessed the crime and identified Mr Noor as the aggressor. There had even been a confrontation between the suspect and the eyewitness in the presence of the police, Inspector Grech added. 

Mr Noor pleaded not guilty to having maliciously put the life of his victim in manifest jeopardy, causing his death, as well as having been armed with a weapon without a police licence at the time of commission of the offence.

Legal aid lawyer Noel Bartolo informed the court, presided over by magistrate Josette Demicoli, that no request for bail was to be made at the arraignment stage.

The accused was remanded in custody, pending assignment and continuation of the proceedings.