Man Accused Of Attempted Murder Over Paceville Stabbing
A 30-year-old Turkish national and San Ġwann resident has been charged with the attempted murder of a Serbian man and holding a knife to the throat of another during an incident in Paceville.
Adem Katircioglu is a shipyard worker who was arraigned in court and charged with attempted murder, grievous bodily harm with arms proper, assault, causing a third party to fear violence, carrying a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, carrying a knife in public without a permit, breaching the peace and violating the conditions of a suspended sentence he had received in 2021, Malta Today reported.
Prosecuting inspector Nico Zarb told the court that responding officers found two knives concealed on the defendant’s person, and more of the same in his backpack after they received a report of a stabbing at around 5am on November 12th in Paceville.
Zarb further argued that the CCTV footage “clearly shows” that Katircioglu wanted to kill the victim. Meanwhile, another man had approached the police that same night to report that the defendant had held a knife to his neck.
The motivation behind the attack is reportedly due to the victim telling the defendant that the club he was trying to enter was closed at the time. As the victim was walking away, Katircioglu approached him, pulled out a knife from a shopping bag, and stabbed him in the leg, the newsroom reported.
The Serbian man tried to escape by attempting to run up St Rita’s steps, but he tried and fell. Katircioglu was allegedly able to catch up with the man and stabbed him in the stomach in an attempt to stab him in the heart.
Katircioglu pleaded not guilty in court this morning and bail was not requested, defence lawyer Leontine Calleja informed the court.
Magistrate Ian Farrugia is presiding over the case while Zarb was assisted by lawyer Karlie Bonett from the Office of the Attorney General.
Lawyers Shazoo Ghaznavi and Jessica Formosa appeared as parte civile for the Serbian victim.
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