Man charged with threatening man denied bail

A man has been remanded in custody after he was arraigned on charges of making threats and spitting at a man in public. 

The accused, Libyan man Khalid Ahmed Mohammad Ashtani, 40, who lives in Birzebbuga was charged threatened a Maltese man, caused him to fear that violence would be used against him, failing to obey police orders, and spitting at a man on 5 September.

Legal Procurator Peter Paul Zammit contested the validity of the arrest.

Inspector Roderick Attard explained that the arrest happened after the police had ordered him not to approach the victim but the man had persisted. The victim said he was intimidated by the presence of the accused, who was waving a glass around.

Zammit argued that the arrest was unfounded at law and unnecessary. The police had investigated but had found no proof.

He entered a not guilty plea on behalf of the accused and requested bail, arguing that in 17 years living in Malta, he had never encountered problems with the police. 

The prosecution, however, objected as he had already ignored the police once and spoken to the victim. Bail was refused.