Tuesday, 12th August 2008

15 charged over Ħamrun feast rumpus

Fifteen people were yesterday granted bail against a personal guarantee of €20,000 each after pleading not guilty to a number of charges relating to a disturbance during the feast of St Cajetan in Ħamrun on Sunday evening.

The accused are Ħamrun residents Carmel Abela, 49, Angelino Abela, 44, Anthony Abela, 48, Jonathan Abela, 23, Jason James Agius, 34, Dylon Vella, 22, and Maroushka Attard, 25, Johann Abela, 21, of Żejtun, Heathcliff Schembri, 22, of Sta Venera, James Vella Bray 51, of Pietà, John Mamo, 24, of Mosta, Nazzareno Gatt 34, of Żejtun, Kelsey Vella, 20, of Pietà, Carmela Mintoff, 51, of Birkirkara and Alicia Mintoff, 27, of Birkirkara.

Before Magistrate Silvio Meli, the accused pleaded not guilty to conspiring to resist the police.

Angelino Abela alone pleaded not guilty to assaulting Police Superintendent Carmelo Bartolo and threatening him, while Carmel Abela pleaded not guilty to slightly injuring him.

Jason Agius alone pleaded not guilty to relapsing and filing a false report against police officers.

Heathcliffe Schembri, James Vella Bray, Dylon Vella and Kelsey Vella also pleaded not guilty to damaging a police car. Other charges included damage to police uniforms and assaults on several police officers. The court heard lawyer Roberto Montalto explain how there was a commotion when some of the accused saw a member of their family being apprehended by the police and the situation developed into a number of arrests.

Police Inspector Mario Tonna prosecuted.

Lawyers Ian Farrugia, Mark Anthony Mifsud Cutajar, Juliana Scerri Ferrante, Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, Martin Fenech and David Farrugia Sacco appeared for the accused.

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Article © Allied Newspapers Ltd., printed on Sunday, November 22, 2009. This article is for personal use only, and should not be distributed.

Comments

Cedric Valletta (on 12/8/08)

Unfortunately, the name of Hamrun is once again in the news. But please keep in mind that this incident happened 2 hours after the morning festivities ended. Accurate reporting is a must in this scenario, but for the media it seems that organising a feast where thousand attend and everything goes well is not newsworthy. But an incident that happened in the of periphery Hamrun close to Marsa during a street party around 5.00pm which has nothing to do with the church or with any one of the band clubs is worth mentioning so as to make headline.

Jeremy J Camilleri (on 12/8/08)

Incredible how a simple comment can bring out the , ours is better than yours mentality!

Haha...Well done. I must asay that this catholic spirit is so radiant..it warms my soul......

Carlo Ciscaldi (on 12/8/08)

What's new Mr. Aguis?
Nothing really, apart from the fact that for another year we had a great festa with thousands flocking to our streets, having a good time meeting old friends, with different opinions having a drink (or two I admit:-) and enjoying our band marches.
and can you tell me whats wrong with that? . We cancel the parties after the marches are done and thats all! why all the festa lovers have to abolish this great event in their village because of a sparse incident in a backstreet hours after all was over?. .
and why try to mingle the religous with the social external activities?. During a festa everyone is free to enjoy both the religous and social festive aspects of it (in a controlled manner of course), now if the majority prefers just the external activities, well that is another problem/topic, but definitely we cannot abolish all because of those dont you think?

Roderick Cristina (on 12/8/08)

My point was that everyone tries to picture that there's always fighting and incidents in the Hamrun Feast and that's not the case!!.Unfortunately way back in 1987 we had a terrible experience and we kept a bad name among people till today,and when we're in the news everyone tries to picture it as something big happened, when it's not the case! that's the point

G.MAGRI (on 12/8/08)

I perfectly agree with Mr Cristina that this had nothing to do with the feast. Everything went smooth and a special thanks go to Mr. Josie Brincat the Assitant Commissioner who was always present during all the activities organised and related to the feast. This incident had nothing to do with the feast and I feel that both the media and the police should not relate the incident to the feast.

G.MAGRI (on 12/8/08)

Strange very strange but why did all this happen.

A. Seychell (on 12/8/08)

Mr Cristina has come up with a new benchmark for the traditional Maltese festa - how many consecutive years between breaks for bad behaviour.

Roderick Cristina (on 12/8/08)

.Agius don't try to be funny because you're not. This incident had nothing to do with the feast. It happened 2hrs after the band marches were finished and it didn't happen in any of the Band Clubs of Hamrun. People who talk like you are just jealous about our feast because it happens to be one of Malta's most renowned feast that's all.Thank God we kept celebrating our feast on a yearly basis for 21 consecutive years!!! not like some other villages which had to cancel their feast for a year or two because of incidents between supporters of their respective Band Clubs.This is a totally different story and it's not like the media tried to describe it.
We're very proud with our feast,

S. Agius (on 12/8/08)

what's new?

15 charged over Ħamrun feast rumpus

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