A Somali who smashed the window of the coordinator's office at the Marsa open centre was yesterday conditionally discharged after he apologised and paid for the damage.

Zakaria Abuker, 25, broke the window on Wednesday at 5 a.m. during a protest against the Somali coordinator, Ahmed Bugri, following decisions he had made, Police Inspector Spiridione Zammit said.

During the arraignment, defence lawyer Patrick Valentino said Mr Abuker apologised for his actions and, upon hearing this, Mr Abuker shook Mr Bugri's hand as a sign of goodwill. He then handed over a cheque for €120, which was the amount of damaged caused to Mr Bugri's window.

Mr Abuker admitted to breaking the window, swearing in public and breaching the public peace. Dr Valentino asked the court to hand down a conditional discharge in the circumstances.

Magistrate Lawrence Quintano handed down a maximum of a three-year conditional discharge. He also issued a protection order covering Mr Bugri and warned Mr Abuker that if he even threatened Mr Bugri again he would be fined €230.

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