Seven men from Zabbar – Mario Farrugia, 43, Joseph Pisani, 67, Roderick Delia, 23, Redent Falzon, 23, Spiridione Scicluna, 59, Ivan Borg, 32 and Joseph Sciberras – together with Stefan Cutajar, 20, from Safi, Etienne Scicluna, 33, from Zejtun and Sandro Bonnici, 28, from Marsascala, appeared in court yesterday to answer charges regarding a fight that broke out late last Friday evening during the Zabbar feast.

All the men pleaded not guilty to being part of a group of more than 10 people with the intent of committing a crime, refusing to disperse after being warned by the authorities, inciting violence and possibly frightening the public.

They also denied threatening, assaulting and injuring police officers, including assistant commissioner Paul Sammut, superintendent Patrick Spiteri and inspector Anthony Cassar, violently resisting police and disobeying their orders, breaching the peace, being drunk in public and throwing hard objects.

Etienne Scicluna was also charged with damaging the police mobile station van by throwing a bottle at it at around 2.30pm on Saturday. He was also accused of setting fire to his jail cell while in police custody, making false accusations against police officials and filing a false report.

Redent Falzon was also charged with being in possession of two unlicensed knives while Sandro Bonnici, a soldier with the Armed Forces of Malta was accused of injuring a man named Charlo Ebejer and committing a crime he was duty-bound to prevent.

After lengthy considerations, presiding magistrate Miriam Hayman upheld the defence attorneys’ requests for bail and placed all the accused under house arrest against Lm5,000 personal guarantees.

At the hearing, prosecuting officer Superintendent Patrick Spiteri told the court the fight lasted around “10 terrible minutes.” He went on to say that it had been an atrocious act of violence during what was supposed to be a religious celebration.

“The fight was all the result of a painted piece of wood on four wheels,” he said and went on to explain that Zabbar is a divided village which is what may have caused the fight to break out.

The 11 men accused will not be allowed out of their homes until their next hearing, except to sign at the assigned police stations and in the event of a medical emergency.Seven men from Zabbar – Mario Farrugia, 43, Joseph Pisani, 67, Roderick Delia, 23, Redent Falzon, 23, Spiridione Scicluna, 59, Ivan Borg, 32 and Joseph Sciberras – together with Stefan Cutajar, 20, from Safi, Etienne Scicluna, 33, from Zejtun and Sandro Bonnici, 28, from Marsascala, appeared in court yesterday to answer charges regarding a fight that broke out late last Friday evening during the Zabbar feast.

All the men pleaded not guilty to being part of a group of more than 10 people with the intent of committing a crime, refusing to disperse after being warned by the authorities, inciting violence and possibly frightening the public.

They also denied threatening, assaulting and injuring police officers, including assistant commissioner Paul Sammut, superintendent Patrick Spiteri and inspector Anthony Cassar, violently resisting police and disobeying their orders, breaching the peace, being drunk in public and throwing hard objects.

Etienne Scicluna was also charged with damaging the police mobile station van by throwing a bottle at it at around 2.30pm on Saturday. He was also accused of setting fire to his jail cell while in police custody, making false accusations against police officials and filing a false report.

Redent Falzon was also charged with being in possession of two unlicensed knives while Sandro Bonnici, a soldier with the Armed Forces of Malta was accused of injuring a man named Charlo Ebejer and committing a crime he was duty-bound to prevent.

After lengthy considerations, presiding magistrate Miriam Hayman upheld the defence attorneys’ requests for bail and placed all the accused under house arrest against Lm5,000 personal guarantees.

At the hearing, prosecuting officer Superintendent Patrick Spiteri told the court the fight lasted around “10 terrible minutes.” He went on to say that it had been an atrocious act of violence during what was supposed to be a religious celebration.

“The fight was all the result of a painted piece of wood on four wheels,” he said and went on to explain that Zabbar is a divided village which is what may have caused the fight to break out.

The 11 men accused will not be allowed out of their homes until their next hearing, except to sign at the assigned police stations and in the event of a medical emergency.