Former national football player Gilbert Agius was yesterday acquitted of slightly injuring a player in a brawl following an under-19 match at Ta’ Qali last year.

Josmar Farrugia, who played for St Patrick’s, alleged he was hit in the face by Mr Agius, who was holding an aluminium drinks can.

The incident happened on April 18, at about 10.15pm, when the St Patrick’s goalkeeper approached a Valletta player and kissed the club’s badge on his own shirt, a gesture that offended his opponent, the court heard.

A brawl ensued and Mr Agius intervened to break it up and Mr Farrugia was struck in the face.

In the judgment, Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera noted that two of the witnesses, Samuel Buhagiar and Ian Grech, had claimed to have seen Mr Agius hitting the victim, but then admitted to discussing what to say before testifying.

The two players said they had met each other beforehand and had a discussion with their lawyer on what to say before taking the witness stand.

The magistrate said that despite there being a number of other witnesses who could shed light on what happened they were not summoned to testify and the prosecution rested solely on witnesses suggested by the parties. She said that the evidence in the case consisted of an outright denial by the accused and a claim by the victim.

Given that two of the witnesses had admitted to agreeing what to say before the case started, the magistrate decided to clear Mr Agius of causing slight injury and breaching the peace.