Raymond Axiaq, a 53-year-old man from Zurrieq known as Il-Banana was today accused of slightly injuring Nicholas Azzopardi, a PN employee, in a scuffle which took place outside of a pastizzi shop in Rabat known as Serkin on 4 August.

Former PN MPs Franco Debono and Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando were also involved in the argument.

Police Inspector Sarah Magri told the Court how Azzopardi identified a man with white hair as being the person who had hit him and caused damage to his glasses.

The Police said that a week after the incident, they received anonymous information that someone known as Il-Banana had been involved in the commotion.

They initially called in a certain Joseph Axiaq for questioning, who is the accused man’s brother. Axiaq said that he was not at Serkin on the night of the incident, and explained that Il-Banana is the family nickname.

The Police then sent for Raymond Axiaq, who admitted to having been present on the night of the incident.

Axiaq denied having assaulted Azzopardi. In his statement, he told the Police that he actually tried to break up the scuffle, accidentally brushing Azzopardi’s glasses off his face when doing so.

Axiaq said that he knows Franco Debono personally, and Debono was warning people not to touch Azzopardi.

Axiaq said that he immediately returned the glasses to Azzopardi once the melee was over.

Azzopardi claims that prior to the scuffle, Pullicino Orlando was swearing and insulting Nationalist supporters, but Axiaq denied this version of events.

The Court also heard how Azzopardi’s friends were inside of Serkin when the scuffle took place, and all that they saw when they emerged was Azzopardi with his damaged glasses.

Under cross-examination by Edward Gatt who appeared for the accused, Inspector Magri said that the Police did not speak to Axiaq on the night of the incident, and his name only cropped up a few weeks later once the anonymous information was received. 

Dr Gatt also pointed out that Azzopardi had not identified the person who assualted him, questoning why the Police had charged his client.

The Court also heard how Azzopardi, Debono and Pullicino Orlando were at separate locations prior to the incident. Azzopardi was at Buskett Roadhouse, Pullicino Orlando was at the August Moon Ball and Debono was at Gianpula.

The case was deferred to a later date.