Arraigned after Balzan fight

Five men and a 17-year-old girl, all of Birkirkara, appeared in court yesterday charged with seriously injuring a man during a fight which allegedly occurred in Balzan on Tuesday evening.

Kolya Bugeja, 20, and his brother Keith, 25, Joseph Muscat, 20, Gaetano Schembri, 21, Etienne Bartolo, 27 and the girl, who cannot be named because she is a minor, pleaded not guilty to seriously injuring Raymond Farrugia with a pointed instrument. They also pleaded not guilty to breaching public order and using obscene language in public.

Keith Bugeja and Mr Bartolo were further charged with relapsing while Mr Muscat was also charged with breaching the conditions of a previous release.

Magistrate Anthony Vella granted them bail against a personal guarantee of €2,000 (Lm858.36) each.

Police Inspector Kevin Farrugia prosecuted.

Lawyers Michael Sciriha and Ian Farrugia were defence counsel.