Zeppi l-ħafi acquitted of assault charge

Joseph Fenech (Zeppi l-ħafi)was today acquitted of charges of having injured a man in a fight after the court decided that the complainant lacked credibility and conflicting evidence had been presented to the court.

Fenech's  son-in-law, Norbert Falzon, who was also accused in connection with the incident, was conditionally discharged for a week, after it resulted that he had slapped the complainant.

Fenech and Falzon had been accused of damaging a car and slightly injuring Paul Spiteri in a fight on October 14, 2010.

During the proceedings witness Sylvester James, of Hamrun, looked uncomfortable as he took the witness stand, and even before being asked, said he knew nothing about the case. He spent 45 minutes in the court lock-up after the Magistrate decided that he was lying under oath.

Later, he testified that on the day in question, Mr Spiteri and himself went to Mr Falzon's shop to have a car stereo repaired.

There was an argument between Mr Spiteri and Mr Falzon in which Mr Spiteri swore at Mr Falzon who then in turn slapped him slightly on the face. He said that Mr Fenech had nothing to do with this fight and had simply shown the door to both him and his friend. He then insisted that Mr Fenech had nothing to do with the argument.

Dr Franco Debono and Dr Jean-Karl Farrugia were counsel to Fenech and Falzon