Nineteen arraigned over open centre fracas
A court has decided there is enough evidence to indict 19 Somali migrants for their role in an uprising at Ta' Kandja open centre on July 8.
They stand accused of slightly injuring policemen and Detention Services officers and causing wilful damage to property amounting to €2,500.
Magistrate Saviour Demicoli heard that the migrants had assaulted staff and showered them with everything they could lay their hands on. Officers were pelted with eggs, metal bars, hot water and expired milk.
The disturbance started after the migrants were refused permission to speak to the camp commander as a group.
Joseph Micallef, a security guard at the open centre, testified that at about 9.30 a.m. a small group of migrants discussed with the whole Somali community there the possibility of speaking to Col Brian Gatt.
Col Gatt said he would only see three at a time and, on hearing this, the migrants got hold of whatever they found and started throwing them at the officers.
A police officer was hit in the eye with an egg, he said. Over €2,500 in damage had been caused. The migrants also started fighting among themselves because there were a few who wanted to calm the situation down, the officer said.
The accused are aged between 18 and 40.
Police Inspector Joseph Hersey prosecuted.
Lawyer Alex Sciberras appeared for the migrants.
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Joe Grima
Sep 18th 2009, 17:20
For offenders like these the only answer is repatriation to their own country. If their country is not safe enough for their return , then - too bad. They should consider that before becoming a threat in ours
Anthony Falzon
Sep 18th 2009, 11:58
Its no good hoping that these people will integrate, they never do. All they want is to have it thier own way in someone else's country. Anyway the question should be 'do WE want to integrate with them in our own country', as they are the ones who are here illegaly, and we all know the answer to that.
d. borg
Sep 18th 2009, 11:56
They say they flee their own country to escape war and trouble, but then they cause trouble wherever they go. They should have remained in their own country because that's their way of life. We do not want their integration as they are culturally and socially so different from us.
Joe Schembri
Sep 18th 2009, 11:19
This is the ridiculous state that our country has come to.
Our government hosts these illegals against the will of those who elected it and then after they are fed, provided with housing, TV, mobile and everything else at our expense, they thank our government for betraying those who voted it in, in the only way they know - by destroying everything.
A big well done to our government.
John Falzon
Sep 18th 2009, 11:10
How can we believe these people when they say they are fleeing from oppression when they then act in such a way , which is certainly not one that shows the minimum of gratitude.
I wonder what would be their fate if they were to act like this in their own country ! Do these people even think at all before they act ?
louise vella
Sep 18th 2009, 10:53
Can anyone still hope that these people will ever integrate? When they are out of detention where will they be put? I hope not in some place like Dar il-Qawsalla, Birkirkara, or some other quiet residential place. ‘Flimkien kollox possibli’! But so far GonziPN has not found it possible to stop the influx of illegal immigrants.
Joanne Micallef
Sep 18th 2009, 10:44
@ Ms Louise Vella - I seriously hope that it’s not true, if they don’t have the money they can serve the equivalent in Jail time. Isn’t that what normally happens with us Maltese?
louise vella
Sep 18th 2009, 10:13
Can the authorities confirm or deny information coming from quarters close to the Courts that when African illegal immigrants are fined by the court the fine is never paid or recovered? is it true that sometimes they say they have no money and sometimes the officials responsible don’t bother to insist.