Migrant protest 'ringleaders' charged in court
Five men allegedly used metal bars, knives and even pepper spray
Five alleged ringleaders of the riots that broke out at the Safi detention centre this week were remanded in custody after pleading not guilty on Friday.
Abdul Latif Ali Sherif, 29, Ismaile Idris, 25, Njumi Mohamed, 30, Oshieko Noor Alameen, 26 and Hassan Mohammed Hassan, 30, all Sudanese nationals, were charged with taking part in a riot.
All five were also charged with threatening detention officers, breaching the peace, forming part of a group of more than twelve, being armed, and causing damage to public property.
The joint arraignments followed violent scenes at the Safi detention facility when a group of detainees, chanting ‘We want freedom’, on Wednesday.
They allegedly broke down a metal gate and used it to climb onto a container to make their protests heard.
In reference to how long they had been kept in the centre at the Safi barracks, one poster had read: "Free Us. 132 days".
Detainees have held several protests at the centre over the last few weeks, including one earlier this month when a fire was lit and fences were scaled.
“They seem to have made it a habit of staging a riot every day,” remarked prosecuting Inspector Trevor Micallef.
The situation, he added, tended to get worse whenever the media arrived.
Wednesday’s riot broke out at around 10am, and required the intervention of detention services officers.
As the situation escalated, the rioters allegedly forced their way into the officers’ control room, bearing metal bars, knives and even pepper spray, Inspector Micallef told the Court.
His remarks however, prompted some protestations from the accused who were following the proceedings through the assistance of an Arab-speaking interpreter.
After each charge had been translated and explained to them, all five men registered a not guilty plea, after consultation with their legal aid lawyer, Victor Bugeja.
The court, presided over by magistrate Simone Grech, remanded the men in custody.
No request for bail was made at the arraignment stage.