Two young men involved in a violent scuffle last Wednesday outside a restaurant in Gżira were let off with a fine after two others who allegedly suffered the aggression chose to withdraw their complaints.

Omar Mohammed Ahnish, 24, born in Libya and having refugee status in Malta, and Belaid Farag, 22, residing in Msida, were charged with having slightly injured Haitem Nassradin and Mahdi Al Harati in the brawl which broke out in Triq ix-Xatt around 1pm.

The men were also charged with having threatened their victims and with having disturbed public order and peace. Mr Farag was accused separately of having been in possession of a sharp instrument.

An argument allegedly arose when the accused spotted the victims dining in Gżira and engaged in a tirade of verbal abuse which eventually escalated into a violent assault.

At the start of the hearing, lawyers Arthur Azzopardi and Gianluca Caruana Curran appearing for the victims, who were not personally present in court, informed magistrate Neville Camilleri their clients were formally withdrawing their police complaint.

In view of this, since the two more serious charges were dropped, the defence registered an admission in respect of the other charges.

The court declared the men guilty and condemned them each to a fine of €30. Mr Farag was condemned to a further fine of €116.47 for the unlawful possession of the knife. Inspector Jonathan Ransley prosecuted.

Lawyers Alfred Abela and Mario Mifsud were defence counsel.