An attack sparked by a sailor’s mistake led to the arraignment today of a fishing boat captain who pleaded not guilty to grievously injuring the Indonesian worker.

Jason Genovese, the 42-year-old captain of the fishing vessel “All Saints,” was charged with grievously injuring Risky Sis Harmawan, causing him to fear violence and relapsing.

The sailor testified with the help of translator that on July 6 the captain punched him in the eye, head and chest, for pulling a rope by mistake. The captain then poured water over him, he said.

The captain, he said, had made sarcastic remarks about him earlier that month but this was the first time that he had turned aggressive.

“I could not see anything. Between July 7 and 11^, I was forced to keep working on the boat,” he said.

When the boat docked Mr Harmawan said he had continued to work, cleaning the boat and transferring the catch to a truck before he was taken to St James Hospital by the captain on July 12. He said he did not go to the police because he did not know where the police station was.

He claimed that the captain threatened him so he returned to the boat in Marsascala, fearing he would get punched again.

However, he ended up at a shelter for the homeless, Dar Papa Frangisku, taking up the suggestion of an Indonesian friend.

Cross-examined by defence counsel legal procurator Peter Paul Zammit, the sailor said he had come to Malta after he was offered a fisherman’s job by Mr Genovese. He had previously worked as a fisherman in Indonesia.

Asked how he communicated with Mr Genovese – Mr Harmawan, who was testifying with the help of a translator, said he knew a little English and the captain spoke to him in Maltese and English.

Mr Harmawan said his friends told him there were many Indonesian fishermen in Marsaxlokk.

He said that the boat owner’s wife had suggested that he should speak to the embassy about his case and the embassy in turn instructed him to refer his case to the police.

A request that the court appoint a medical expert to ascertain the nature of his alleged injuries and whether they were compatible with his story was upheld.

The prosecution did not object to the defence’s request for bail, but asked that the court order the man to inform the police before setting out to sea.

Mr Genovese was released on bail against a deposit of €1,000 and personal guarantee of €2,000.