Brothers plead not guilty to Birkirkara knife murder

Updated 12.35pm Two brothers were today charged with having murdered a man following an argument in Bikrkirkara last month.  Both Siraj S.B. Shalgum, 36 and Husain Saleh Belgasem Shalgum, 31, who was arraigned in crutches after having been injured in a fight with the victim, pleaded not guilty. The two unemployed Libyan nationals stand accused of having killed 40-year-old and compatriot Fouzi Farj Etwaish on the night of November 25. Mr Etwaish was stabbed  in their Triq il-Bwieraq residence. Mr Etwaish later succumbed to his injuries in hospital.  Police inspector James Grech testified that the defendants themselves had called police to alert them to the case. The elder brother made a false report, telling police Mr Etwaish had fallen the stairs, the court heard. An autopsy confirmed the victim had been stabbed to death.  Inspector Grech said that both of the accused had been immediately questioned but released on police bail, as there was not sufficient evidence against them within the 48-hour window afforded to police by law. For this reason they had been release on police bail.CCTV footage and forensic evidence gathered during four separate searches from the two's Birkirkara...