Looking the worse for wear, 23 illegal immigrants yesterday denied injuring 15 police officers in a riot at the detention centre in Safi on Tuesday.

The immigrants, six from Mali, two from Gambia, one from Eritrea, three from Ethiopia, three from Sudan, one from Congo, one from Togo, one from Niger, two from the Ivory Coast, one from Sierra Leone, one from Egypt and one from Nigeria, stood in the dock escorted by about 20 police officers.

They pleaded not guilty to causing more than €1,116 in damage to property. The total damages could run into thousands of euros as mattresses, windows, toilets, doors and other structures were damaged, sources said.

The immigrants also denied taking part in the riots, attacking police officers and soldiers, slightly injuring 15 policemen, threatening both the police and soldiers, throwing stones and breaching the peace.

Police Inspector Arthur Mercieca, prosecuting, told Magistrate Audrey Demicoli this was an incident that involved about 280 people in detention and that the 23 before her were particularly violent.

In pleas on bail, the four legal aid lawyers representing the accused – Cedric Mifsud, Mark Busuttil, Simon Micallef Stafrace and Martin Fenech – asked for them to kept in detention at the centre where they were and not in prison.

However, the prosecuting office said these were serious crimes and it would be more ideal to keep them in custody in prison. He added that some of the witnesses worked at the centre where the riot occurred and this could lead to the tampering of evidence if they were allowed back there.Magistrate Demicoli remanded them in custody in prison for the reasons cited by the prosecution.

Police Inspector Mario Haber and Carlos Cordina also prosecuted.