Man ‘played dead’ before attacking police officers at Floriana lock-up, court told

A man who had to be tasered in his cell after allegedly attacking police officers at the Floriana lock-up has been remanded in custody on charges relating to violently resisting arrest.

Bakary Fatty, 28, from Gambia, had been transferred to the lock-up earlier this month after immigration authorities found him to have been residing in Malta illegally.

During routine checks in the early hours of November 5, officers noticed that the man appeared to be unconscious.

However, the moment the officers entered the cell, Fatty aggressively leapt to his feet and attacked them.

A taser gun had to be employed to bring the accused under control, after which he was taken to Mount Carmel Hospital for observation.

Following his discharge from the facility on Monday, he was re-arrested and arraigned before magistrate Ian Farrugia earlier today, charged with refusing to comply with legitimate orders, insulting and threatening the officers, violently resisting them and inflicting slight injuries on them.

The man was further charged with damaging the officers’ uniforms and the taser.

He pleaded not guilty. The court rejected the defence’s request for bail due to the circumstances of the case, the nature of the charges and Fatty’s lack of ties to Malta

Inspectors Gabriel Micallef and Kevin Pulis prosecuted.

Lawyer Mattia Felice was legal aid counsel.