A soldier who faces charges of seriously injuring a man while working as a bouncer at the Gianpula night club has pending criminal proceedings for working as a bouncer without a licence.

Stephen Ciangura is a majority shareholder in a security company, Executive Security Services Ltd, which provides bouncers for places of entertainment. The company was registered with the Malta Financial Services Authority in September 2008.

The 32-year-old Rabat man will be charged with seriously injuring 25-year-old Renè Brincat, who had his jaw kicked in two weekends ago.

The incident happened at about 2.30 a.m. on August 15 at Gianpula nightclub in the limits of Rabat. He was there with two friends.

Mr Brincat claims the bouncer falsely accused him of urinating against a wall and an argument ensued. He was set upon and the bouncer allegedly fractured his jaw in a blow with the knee, he alleges. Records in the Law Courts Registry indicate he was charged with operating as a private guard without a licence issued by the Police Commissioner in February this year and the case is still pending.

Bouncers require a special licence under the Private Guards and Local Wardens Act, which also lays down that applications by members of the armed forces, the police or prison services would not be accepted.

Contacted yesterday, a former member of the armed forces said that any army officer had to apply for permission from the commander for any part- time job, more so if the job was in conflict with one's role as a soldier. Even to work as a waiter, permission was required.

He said there were many people in the uniformed corps who worked as bouncers, adding that he personally believed army officers should not have a part-time job in the security industry because it was in conflict with their primary job.

mxuereb@timesofmalta.com

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