Tunisian charged with punching his former wife in church

The accused was also charged with harassing his estranged wife on various occasions, breaching a care and protection order, committing an offence while on bail and relapsing.

Tunisian born Farhat Bouchehioua was remanded in custody after pleading not guilty to injuring his estranged wife and harassing her. 

Prosecuting inspector Joseph Agius recounted how yesterday morning the accused was attending a religious service at the Evangelic Baptist Church in Mosta. 

While the congregation was having coffee, he approached his wife to speak to his son, but the mother pulled the child away from him. At the end of a short verbal argument the wife threw her coffee at him, and he retaliated by punching his estranged wife in the face, causing slight injuries in the process.

The accused was also charged with harassing his estranged wife on various occasions, breaching a care and protection order, committing an offence while on bail and relapsing.

His defence lawyer argued the incident started from the woman's provocation. "She did not attend service at Mosta for a long time, choosing instead to go to Qormi. She decided to go to Mosa when she learnt the accused was attending there. This is an abuse of bail conditions, where the former wife, knowing the impositions placed on the accused, is pushing him to commit an offence which will land him in jail", the lawyer said.

The defence asked the court to postpone the case in order for evidence to be exhibited for them to be able to prove the real facts behind the case.

The prosecution objected to bail saying that while it is understandable that the incident could have been provoked, these incidents are becoming too regular.

Magistrate Carol Peralta held that the police report made it clear it was the accused himself who approached his son, breaching the care and protection order placed on the wife and children.

"However the court understands that if the man has been denied from seeing his children for over two months, the situation could lead him to behave without considering the consequences. Being denied access to his children, the accused resorted to violence to see them as he has a right to see his own children," the Magistrate held.

The Magistrate denied bail to the accused, saying she was not convinced that the accused will behave in a responsible and rational manner.

The case is expected to continue next week.