Two men were on Thursday acquitted of all charges related to a street fight in Żebbuġ nine years ago after a court found insufficient evidence against them.

An argument between members of two neighbouring families had developed into a major fight in which a knife, a metal bar, a pushchair frame and stones were used.

George Saliba, 32, and Saviour Camilleri, 51, both Żebbuġ residents were among those taken to court in the wake of the fracas back in July 2009.

The episode was allegedly sparked off by an argument between George Farrugia and George Saliba's mother and sister.

Allegedly offensive remarks uttered by Mr Farrugia against the two women had prompted Mr Saliba to utter some equally offensive remarks regarding a recently deceased member of Mr Farrugia.

This verbal spate had allegedly resulted in Mr Farrugia stabbing the other man on the chest with a knife which he drew from his pocket. Mr Saliba had allegedly responded by grabbing a metal bar and hitting his aggressor on the head.

The other co-accused, Saviour Camilleri, who ran a mechanic’s workshop across the road, intervened at some point, rushing to the assistance of his wife’s cousin, Mr Saliba.

Farrugia was seen with blood-soaked bandage around head

One neighbour who heard a knock at his door and was asked to call for medical assistance, recalled later how he had spotted George Farrugia with a blood-soaked bandage around his head and a blood-spattered chest. He had also tried to calm down a member of the Saliba family who had allegedly been threatening George Farrugia, while armed with a hoe.

Following that incident, criminal proceedings were instituted against various parties involved in the fight, including George Saliba and Saviour Camilleri who were charged with having grievously injured George Farrugia, slightly injured his son, as well as with having caused voluntary damage to third party property.

They were further charged with threatening members of the Farrugia family and breaching the peace.

During the proceedings it emerged that there had been long-standing issues between George Farrugia and Saviour Camilleri, with the former filing endless reports at the local police station over the use of the latter’s garage as a mechanic’s workshop.

Having been assigned the case at a later stage, the court, presided over by Magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo, observed that the proceedings had dragged on for nine years and that in the meantime, the parties involved were no longer neighbours.

Moreover, the alleged victims had chosen not to testify, as had several other witnesses who were either related to the accused or had criminal proceedings pending in their regard.

One eyewitness, the wife of one of the victims, had said that she had gone indoors to call the police and then took off on foot to the police station, which meant that her version of the fight could not be taken as realistic.

Although the injuries suffered by the victims had been medically certified, the court lacked “a clear idea as to the context wherein they were inflicted.”

The injuries suffered by the co-accused tallied with the medical evidence supplied by the forensic expert, the court observed.

On the basis of all evidence and in the absence of the testimony of the alleged victims, the prosecution had failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt the accusations, the court declared, thus pronouncing an acquittal.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri were counsel to Mr Saliba.

Lawyer Kathleen Calleja Grima was counsel to Mr Camilleri.

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