19-year-old jailed for stabbing flatmate

A 19-year-old Ghanaian man has been handed an 18 month prison sentence for causing grievous bodily harm when he stabbed his flatmate in the head during an argument.
When Nana Agyeman Maxwell was arraigned before Magistrate Audrey Demicoli in mid-December, he had reportedly initially pleaded not guilty, weeping and begging the court for forgiveness, but later changed his plea to an admission of guilt.

A witness had told the court how he had been at work dismantling a sound system at the Naxxar church when he heard two men arguing. He had decided to intervene and restore calm to the situation when he saw Maxwell carrying a stick in one hand and a knife in the other, he said, but Maxwell had attacked the other man, striking him first with the stick before slicing the right side of his head with the knife and running away.

The witness had chased and eventually apprehended the attacker.

The victim, 34-year old Francis Opoku, told magistrate Demicoli that he shared a flat with the accused and had slapped him during an argument some 3 weeks before the incident.

In its decision, the court noted that due to the serious nature of the offence, a custodial sentence was merited, early admission notwithstanding.

The court handed Maxwell an 18 month prison sentence, also imposing a 2 year protection order in favour of Opoku.

Inspector Roderick Spiteri prosecuted.

Lawyer Francina Abela appeared as legal aid for the accused.