Gozo court finds enough reasons for indictment of Xaghra man

The Magistrates' Court in Gozo yesterday ruled there were enough reasons for the indictment of a Xaghra man charged with ill-treating a septuagenarian and virtually keeping him a prisoner.

Magistrate Paul Coppini ruled for indictment at the end of the compilation of evidence against Benny Attard, 44, who is pleading not guilty to holding Giuseppe Farrugia, 72 against his will for more than 20 days, trying to seriously injure him and slightly injuring him on and before July 9.

Attard is also charged with the possession of a firearm without a licence and firing the gun in an inhabited area.

Magistrate Coppini has heard Farrugia claim he was punched and whipped, locked up on the roof with a dog for days, fed on bread and water and forbidden to leave the house alone.

He has told how Attard beat him up more than once, punching him in the eye on one occasion and, on another, throwing him to the floor and kicking him in the stomach and whipping him with an electric wire until he bled.

The case continues.

Police Inspectors Anglu Caruana and Antonello Grech prosecuted.

Dr Mario Scerri appeared for the defendant.