Two men charged over 'unprovoked' knife attack

Two Libyan men have been charged with threatening a man with large knives, in what police say was as an unprovoked attack.

Ahmed Al Allagi, 27, and Ben Arus Karam, 32, both residents of Swatar, appeared before magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera this morning, accused of carrying two knives - one blade measuring 12cm and the other 20cm -in public without police permission, attacking and threatening a third party with them.
Police say the man had no connection to the attackers.

Al Allagi alone was also charged with threatening and attacking a fourth man with a bladed weapon and failing to abide by bail conditions he had been placed under last September.

Ben Arus Karam pleaded guilty through his lawyer Helga Debono. Magistrate Scerri Herrera sentenced the man to 1 month in prison, suspended for 2 years. “Tell him he has an axe hanging over his head for two years. If he offends again he will be punished for that offence and have this added to his sentence. This is because he has a clean police conduct.”

Lawyer Noel Bartolo, was appointed to assist Allagi. A not guilty plea was filed for the second accused, who was remanded in custody.

Inspector Jonathan Ransley prosecuted.