Nine men today were n charged with causing damage at the Hal Safi detention centre and for taking part in a coordinated criminal offence.

The man were also charged with threatening police and detention centre officers; failing to obey their orders; and disturbing the peace.

Tunisians Merwen Gbali, 27, Lotfi Ouedherfi, 57, Querfelli Mahdi, 26; were charged in court today along with the Eygtian, Mohamed El Shennwayh Sheri (51); Iraqi Hussaen Ahmed Hassan (25); Syrian Ahmed Odali Alali (24); Moroccan Ibrahim El Ayachi (26); and Libyan Zakaria Abidat (29).

A ninth individual, Mohammed Ali, was unable to attend the sitting today as he was still at the clinic following the incident which took place at 5pm on 22 January.

At 6pm, police were called to the site after, it is believed, the men began causing a disturbance in their room after they felt they were continuously ignored by security guards and police officers at the detention centre.

The men then barricaded the door with beds and heaters found in their residences.

One of the accused stood up in court and insisted to the magistrate that the group did not cause any form of damage or injury to officers who were present on the scene.

The men, who all pleaded not guilty to the charges, were denied their request for bail, after the prosecution successfully argued that the witnesses that may be called to testify are residents of the detention centre in Hal-Safi.

Helga Buttigieg Scicluna and Mario Buttigieg are the defence counsel. 

Magistrate Yana Micallef Stafrace presided over the court.