A man from Ghana ended up with a suspended prison sentence and a fine after he was found guilty of resisting police arrest in the course of an incident in Ħamrun yesterday.

Yaw Akaadom, 35, currently residing at a social shelter in Birkirkara, was allegedly in a drunken state when at around 8.10pm, he caused some commotion in St Joseph High Road.

The man was charged with resisting the officers who intervened to arrest him, assaulting them and injuring them slightly in the ensuing scuffle. The accused was also charged with breaching the peace.

After the presiding magistrate explained the charges in English, the accused dropped to his knees and, one hand on heart the other raised in mid-air, said "sorry sir. I plead guilty".

The court, presided by magistrate Antonio Micallef Trigona, apparently somewhat amused, asked the man to stand up. "Don't say sorry to me. You should say it to the police officers."

The court, upon the accused's own admission, declared the man guilty and condemned him to a jail term of six months suspended for one year and a fine of €4,000.

On the suggestion of the parties, given that the accused is in search of a job, the court granted him the faculty of paying the fine in monthly installments and postponed the first payment for six months, in the hope that the accused might in the meantime find employment.

"God bless you!" said the accused, nodding his head in understanding. "And you too!" quipped the magistrate as the man walked out of the courtroom.

Inspector Robert Vella prosecuted. Lawyer Joseph Ellis was legal aid.