A man who was stabbed last Friday told a court this morning the accused did not attack him deliberately.

Sudanese Ali Eysa Ali, 46, was knifed by Abdirahman Saeed Ahmed, a 49-year-old Somali man who lives in Ħamrun.

Mr Ali told the court he was injured as he slipped when he attempted to disarm his friend.

During the incident, Balzan resident Anwar Ahmed Iskander, 56, sustained life-threatening injuries and is currently at Mater Dei Hospital.

Mr Ahmed is pleading not guilty to the attempted murder of his two Sudanese friends and the illegal possession of a weapon.

Mr Ali, who lives with Mr Ahmed and a Chadian national, said the three friends were drinking whisky on Friday when Mr Iskander said he wanted to go home.

Mr Iskander was putting on his shoes and getting ready to leave when Mr Ali went to his bed, only to hear him screaming some time later. He went to see what happened and saw Mr Iskander bleeding and Mr Ahmed with a knife in his hand.

He said he tried to take the knife away, but the accused slipped and hit him.

After the incident, the two Sudanese went to the Ħamrun police station to file a report and were taken to hospital by ambulance.

When the police arrived on site, Mr Ahmed, who smelled strongly of alcohol, said he had no idea what had happened as he was asleep.

The case continues.

Police inspectors Robert Vella and Edel Mary Camilleri are prosecuting. Lawyer Joseph Ellis is defence counsel.