The man who disrupted a funeral which was taking place in a church in Marsa by shouting ‘Allahu akbar’ did so as a prayer for the deceased, his lawyer explained.

Modibo Cisse, a 29-year-old man from Ivory Coast, appeared before magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit. The man stood charged with breaching the public peace and being drunk in public on Tuesday.

Inspector Elliott Magro, who is leading the prosecution, explained that the man was recognised and apprehended during an unrelated raid in Marsa earlier today.

Originally, Cisse was charged with threatening and insulting the police. However, this charge was withdrawn. Sections of the media had also reported damage to private property, which now transpired to be untrue.

Defence lawyer Victor Aquilina claimed that the man had been praying for the deceased when he entered the Marsa church shouting ‘Allahu akbar’.

The accused pleaded guilty to the charges brought against him. He accepted to return to Italy voluntarily with a flight later today.

The court handed a conditional discharge of two years.