A man and a woman from Nigeria have been conditionally discharged for three years after admitting to having assaulted supermarket owner Nicolo Romano on Monday.

They have paid €650 in damages, including replacement of Mr Romano's dentures and damage to the shop.

Vivian Asowata, 35, who holds an Italian ID card and was here on holiday and Beneth Melonwu, 35 of Msida were seen on CCTV assaulting Mr Romano, 72, punching him, kicking him and hitting him with a bucket at Cinque Stelle supermarket.

Ms Asowata said in a statement to the police that she had been in the street walking with her baby and a friend's son. A dog came from behind them and bit her friend's son Dennis on one of his hands. She began shouting and the dog left. She asked who the dog belonged to and people indicated Mr Romano.

She went to the supermarket to complain, and Mr Romano said it was they who had approached the dog. He asked them to leave the shop.

She said she asked him to call an ambulance, but he started shouting at her. She left the shop and called the boy's mother. When the mother turned up they both went to the shop again.

Ms Asowata said Mr Romano started insulting her with rude and racist language. He pushed her and the brawl took place.

Beneth Melonwu fought with him and the two fell on the floor. She admitted to having hit Mr Romano while on the floor, in retaliation for being pushed. She also hit him with a bucket.

The Nigerians were represented by Dean Hili.

Mr Romano is the father of Gaetano Romano, who was murdered with a nail gun in St Paul's Bay in 2009. The body was found in a furnace.

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090404/local/man-found-dead-in-oven.251535