An Eritrean man who sent an SMS to an Ethiopian threatening to kill him was yesterday fined €200.

Siem Iseyas Araya, 25, who lives in Msida, told Magistrate Miriam Hayman that such a threat was acceptable in his home country and he did not know it was illegal in Malta.

The magistrate replied that such a threat was unacceptable in any democratic country.

Mr Araya also challenged the man, with whom he had had an argument, to fight “so they could go to prison together”.

The men knew each other, as they both frequented the Tiger Bar in Marsa.

The threatening text messages were sent last Friday.

Mr Araya was also charged over another violent incident, which happened on April 7, when he punched the same Ethiopian man, as he cleaned his porch.