Update 2 | Swieqi stabbing sparked by Libyan political turmoil, two charged

Two Libyan men have been remanded in custody over their role in a stabbing incident in Swieqi sparked by the ongoing political turmoil and infighting between rival governments.

The men, Zouhir Elfezqa and Mohammed Abdul Hafid Abukem, both residing in Swieqi, were arraigned under arrest on Sunday after a 25-year-old Libyan man was found unconscious and in a pool of blood by police on Saturday.

The victim was stabbed in the midst of an argument motivated by the current political rivalry between the governments of Tobruk and Tripoli. Preliminary investigations suggest that the argument erupted after the stabbing victim, Wadea Al Maghrgi, and Mohammed Abdul Hafid Abukem went to the residence of Elfezqa.

The argument subsequently got out of hand and Wadea Al-Maghrgi was stabbed with a knife. He subsequently walked away from the scene of the crime before collapsing in a pool of blood. The youth was then found unconscious by police before being rushed off to Mater Dei Hospital where he was certified to be suffering from life-threatening injuries.

His condition has since improved and he is now in a stable condition.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, police arraigned two men and charged them over their role in the stabbing. Standing before Magistrate Neville Camilleri, Zouhir Elfezqa, 31, who resides in Swieqi, was charged with attempted murder and of grievously injuring Al Maghrgi.

A second man, Mohammed Abdul Hafid Abukem, 31, also of Swieqi, was also arraigned under arrest and was charged with attempting to grievously injured Elfezqa, slightly injuring him, holding him against his will, and being in possession an unlicensed knife.

Both pleaded not guilty to the charges, and were remanded in custody.

Police inspectors James Grech and Elton Taliana prosecuted.