Man threatened after being beaten with spade and robbed

A man was left injured after being violently attacked with a spade and robbed of all his belongings in a fight that broke out in Marsa.

On 15 March 2026 the court heard the testimony of the victim involved in an attack that happened in Marsa on the night between the 5 and 6 April 2026.

Victim Ibrahim Ismail Farrouk was brought up to testify in front of the Magistrate Antoine Agius Bonnici. The victim did not obey the court’s orders and told the court he refuses to testify. After constantly interrupting the magistrate, the court ordered he be arrested for fifteen minutes.

When the victim returned to the court the magistrate reminded him that he can choose not to testify only in cases where he may self-incriminate, otherwise he must provide all necessary evidence asked of him.

The victim cooperated with the courts and provided the following testimony.

He told the courts on 5 April 2026 at around 10:30pm he was looking for cigarettes. He saw two Indian men crossing the road, who asked him if he wanted a cigarette, to which he replied yes. These two men then proceeded to walk towards the horse track.

After about five minutes, Farouk told the courts he heard the two Indian men shouting at him for help. When he shouted back, asking what happened, he saw two other men chasing after the two Indian men.

These same two men then proceeded to attack the victim. One of them grabbed him by the neck and pulled him from his dreadlocks, which he had at the time, while the other one beat him with a spade on various parts of his body. He also had a cut on his bottom lip from a knife. He told the court that he could still feel pain on his back from the injuries he had sustained.

The court was told the spade that was being used as a weapon was the same one that the victim used for his work.

When asked if he remembered who was beating him with the spade, he identified him as Faraj, the accused who was present in court.

The courts then heard how Faraj put his hands in the victim’s pockets and stole two small phones as well as his wallet and Tal-Linja card.

The victim stated that the accused also threatened him saying “I will kill you”.

The inspector on the case told the court that prior to the testimony she overheard the accused speaking to the victim outside, in Arabic. When asked what he was told, the victim said that the accused asked him to forgive him. The courts reminded the accused that he should not speak to any witness during the case and will be investigated if he persists.

Inspector Sarah Zerafa testified next.

She explained how on 6 April 2026 the accused was arrested after the fight that took place on Triq ix-Xemxija in Marsa, and taken to the police station in Marsa.

On his person they found two phones, a wallet, a Tal-Linja card, and a bag of a white substance presumed to be drugs.

All the items found apart from the bag of drugs, were confirmed to be of the victim.

Bodycam footage showed how the accused was not cooperating and resisting arrest by hiding in his car.

The case has been deferred to 16 May 2026 at 9am.

This case was presided over by Magistrate Antoine Agius Bonnici.

Inspector Sarah Zerafa led the prosecution.