THREE brothers who allegedly assaulted a man in a road rage incident will learn their fate at the end of the month.
The eldest of the trio, aged 25, faces charges of beating the driver and unintentionally causing a long-term injury after pushing him to the ground.
His teenage brothers, aged 18 and 19, have been charged with assault.
In their final hearing before a verdict, the brothers’ lawyer argued before the High Criminal Court that the assault was carried out in self-defence and that the man was just as guilty as the trio.
The fight took place after the elder brother reportedly ‘cut off’ the man’s car on the road, causing their vehicles to collide, with the alleged victim’s wife and children witnessing the incident.
She claimed that the victim twisted his ankle and subsequently suffered a long-term injury because he was obese and was unable to maintain his balance due to his weight.
“Road rage fights happen everywhere in the world,” the lawyer told judges.
“However, how the incident has been described raises many questions.
“The wife changed her testimony between the initial police interviews and questioning by the Public Prosecution. That makes her an unreliable witness.
“It was simply an argument which turned into a minor altercation, with the alleged victim injuring two defendants in the process.
“What the defendants did was a legally permitted form of self-defence, especially after the man assaulted the eldest sibling. It was only natural that his brother (second defendant) stood up for him.
“The second brother was kicked in the shin by the man, and when the elder one pushed the alleged victim away from him, he lost his balance due to his weight and fell, causing a long-term injury.”
The lawyer also said that the third brother had no part in the fight whatsoever and that he merely stood to the side since he had been a passenger in the vehicle with his two siblings.
She concluded by asking judges to rule with leniency as the brothers were being accused of committing a crime for the first time.
The GDN earlier reported that the crash took place near the Manama Suq as the alleged victim was out to enjoy lunch with his family.
The 36-year-old Bahraini had told prosecutors that the defendants’ car cut him off in the middle of the road, with the driver slamming the brakes, causing an accident.
He said as he inspected the damage, he noticed that the brothers ‘appeared agitated’ and ‘felt that they wanted to assault me’.
He then claimed they began to beat and kick him until bystanders pulled them away.
He further alleged that when he got back up, he was suddenly pushed by the older attacker, which caused him to fall to the ground and twist his ankle.
A court-ordered medical report said the man’s injuries amounted to a five per cent disability. Although it was a long-term injury, it was not a permanent one, the report added.
The elder brother reportedly admitted to pushing the victim during questioning by the prosecution.
Prosecutors revealed to the court that the incident had been captured on CCTV.
Judges adjourned the hearing to May 27 when a verdict will be announced.
zainab@gdnmedia.bh
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