A 26-year-old Sudanese man is in a critical condition after he was knocked to the ground early yesterday morning outside a Paceville club as the police mount a search for a suspect, believed to be Romanian.

A friendly, sweet man who wouldn’t harm a fly

Osama Al Shzliaoy, who resides in Gżira, sustained serious head injuries after allegedly being pushed by the Romanian man, according to police sources.

It is believed Mr Shzliaoy was walking with friends in Paceville’s main road after 6 a.m. when they met two Romanian men coming from the opposite direction.

Pedestrians are forced to pass close to each other through two narrow passageways on either side of the main road, which is closed off due to roadworks.

Nightclub owner Donald Bonnici told The Sunday Times his bouncers saw the two groups. Although it was not clear exactly what happened to Mr Shzliaoy , he fell to the ground and the two men ran off, leaving him lying in a pool of blood.

His friends and the security officials immediately called for help and tried to offer first aid. He lost consciousness and remained on the ground until paramedics arrived. He was taken to Mater Dei Hospital at around 7 a.m.

Investigators are looking for the Romanian men, according to police sources.

The incident shocked Mr Shzliaoy’s friends who described him as a “friendly, sweet man who wouldn’t harm a fly”.

A close friend of Mr Shzliaoy described him like a “little brother”, saying he was a peaceful man who loved having fun.

He had been in Malta for over a year and shared a Gżira apartment with friends.

Notorious as a hotspot for trouble, Paceville regularly hits the headlines for drunken brawls, accidents and crimes that happen in the early hours of the morning.

Incensed with the lack of discipline, a new association of Paceville bar and commercial property owners is calling for a zero-tolerance policy from police towards crime in night-time entertainment areas.

In a recent report, residents complained about the noise and stench coming from some catering establishments, lack of parking and the mess they find every morning on their doorsteps.