The cab driver involved in an incident that left him bloodied and bruised has opened up further about what happened that night, as well as addressing some rumours over what exactly went down that night.

Malta was shocked by the story of a Maltese cab driver working with Bolt being brutally attacked by 19-year-old British passenger Oliver Chandler Kassim who was “blind-drunk” in a 4am Mellieħa incident. Kassim has since been let out on bail, and Bolt told Lovin Malta they are taking the incident “very seriously”.

The driver, Joseph de Celis, said the passenger was misbehaving before eventually attacking him out of nowhere.

“During the voyage, he was smoking, placing his feet on the dashboard, and when we approached Mellieħa he began telling me where to go, and eventually we went down a side street, and I asked him where to go from here… that was the last thing I said before he attacked me.”

De Celis even said that a brass knuckle was used on him, though this has not yet been confirmed by authorities. He recounted what happened next to Lovin Malta. 

The morning after the attack, de Celis said his wife was cleaning the leftover blood from the vehicle involved when she came across Kassim’s wallet, which de Celis said was left in his cab. The wallet was empty of money, and de Celis took the wallet to the police station himself.

De Celis wanted to push back against anyone saying that he may have provoked Kassim in some way, even initiating the incident himself in some way.

“They are wondering if I provoked him, if I attacked him – he didn’t have a black eye or any scratches or bruises when he entered my car, and I am not behind them,” he said in reference to what was said in court yesterday, that Kassim was certified with a black eye as well as bruises on his back following the incident. 

He recounted that he last saw Kassim’s father taking the teen away.

De Celis did say that during the flurry of blows being showered upon him, he may have thrown a punch himself in self defence. 

“I am a father and a professional, and I’ve never been through anything like this – I am not an arrogant person, I like to socialise, I like lots of different people,” he continued.

Since the Bolt ride was paid via app, there was no need for money to exchange hands at the end of the ride, so de Celis believes the incident didn’t occur “over money”.

De Celis thanked the many people who showed him support online and sent him messages of encouragement before going on to say: “If I did something, I wouldn’t have gone to the police station myself. I have a past like anyone else, but I never stole.”