11 charged over Zabbar feast 'mayhem'

Eleven men were last night charged over violent incidents during the Zabbar feast at the weekend and put under house arrest on a personal guarantee of Lm5,000 until a sentence is handed down.

The men - six from Zabbar and the others from Safi, Naxxar, Xghajra, Marsascala and Zejtun - pleaded not guilty to a list of charges before Magistrate Myriam Hayman.

They were arraigned following a fight that broke out in Sanctuary Street late on Friday night.

The prosecuting police said the fight arose over a "piece of painted wood with wheels" and 10 minutes of absolute mayhem ensued. They argued that society could not tolerate such uncivilised behaviour, especially during what should have been a festive occasion.

The men are Mario Farrugia, 43, Joseph Pisani, 67, Roderick Delia, 23, Redent Falzon, 23, Spiridione Scicluna, 59, and Ivan Borg, 32, all from Zabbar; Stefan Cutajar, 20, from Safi; Steven Micallef, 34, from Naxxar; Joseph Sciberras, 23, from Xghajra; Etienne Scicluna, 33, from Zejtun and Sandro Bonnici, 28, from Marsascala.

They were charged with threatening, attacking and assaulting a number of policemen and violently resisting the police.

They were also charged with forming part of a crowd with the intent of committing a crime and which did not disperse when warned; with inciting violence, brandishing arms and making threats which could frighten the people gathered there.

Other charges included breaching the peace, running recklessly along the streets, disobeying police orders and throwing stones at doors, windows, balconies and house lamps.

Scicluna alone was charged with damaging police property, setting fire to the cell he was put in and making false accusations against several police officers.

Falzon was charged with having two unlicensed knives in his possession, while Bonnici was charged with injuring Charlo Ebejer from Zabbar.

The defence lawyers requested bail under the condition of house arrest and Magistrate Hayman upheld the request.

Superintendent Patrick Spiteri and Inspector Anthony Cassar prosecuted.