Man strips naked, throws glass at Detention Services officers, court told

A man who stripped naked and threw a glass bottle at Detention Services officers on Saturday has been remanded in psychiatric care.

Inspector Alfredo Mangion arraigned Sahir Saif Fiasel Ibrahim, 22, from Somalia before magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras yesterday morning, charging him with insulting or threatening two detention service officers at Marsa, offending public morals, stripping naked in public, throwing a beer bottle at the two detention service officers, living an idle and vagrant life, breaching the peace, being drunk and incapable of taking care of himself in public and relapsing. The accused, who doesn’t understand Maltese or English, was assisted by two interpreters in yesterday’s sitting.

Inspector Mangion explained to the court that on Saturday, the police were informed that a person had gone to the open centre in Marsa where he insulted two detention services officers and threw a glass bottle at them.

“The man then proceeded to take off his trousers and make certain gestures,” said the inspector. “He was drunk and is a homeless alcoholic,” he added.

As his legal aid lawyer Graziella Tanti pleaded not guilty to the charges, the accused stood up to address the court directly, gesturing angrily. He wanted to plead guilty to some things but not all of them, his translator said. A not guilty plea was recorded, as laid down by the law in such cases. Ibrahim requested bail.

The court appointed a psychiatric expert to establish the man’s mental state and whether he is fit to stand trial.

The prosecution opposed the bail request on the grounds that he had no address and could approach witnesses. “He has no ties to Malta,” added the Inspector.

The defence asked that if bail was to be denied, the man be held at the Forensic unit at Mount Carmel Hospital to be given the psychiatric assistance he required. The court denied bail and upheld the request that the man be referred to Mount Carmel.