A 51-year-old man accused of stabbing a tourist at Dublin airport last week has been refused bail and remanded in custody, reports RTE.
Kasonga Mbuyi, of a hostel in Clare Street, Co Limerick, was charged with criminal damage, unlawful possession of a pocket knife as a weapon and carrying an article with intent to cause injury.
The incident took place last Sunday in front of the departures hall of Terminal 1.
Today at Dublin District Court, Judge John Campbell refused to grant Mr Mbuya bail and remanded him in custody pending his appearance at Cloverhill District Court on Wednesday.
Detective Garda Cathal Connolly told the court Mbuyi did not respond to the assault charge but replied: “I was looking for help” to the weapons offences, reports RTE.
The court assumed that the German citizen received eight wounds to his left arm and torso, which required 12 stitches. He has since been released from the hospital.
Det Garda Connolly opposed bail, citing concerns about flight risk.
He agreed with defence lawyer Tracey Horan that the defendant had stated he was seeking help.
The court heard that Mr Mbuy had recently been made homeless at an address in Limerick where he had lived for seven years.
The lawyer said his client sought help but none was available and the incident “was a cry for help” and isolated.
When applying for bail, he said he had held Irish citizenship since 2014 but was “driven to despair” and “just broke”, which the garda witness accepted, reports RTE.
Ms Horan said Mr Mbuyi would abide by strict conditions and raised that being refused bail could result in a long period of imprisonment.
A case file must be prepared so that the Director of Public Prosecutions can prosecute the accused to a higher court, which carries a penalty of up to five years for this offence.
Judge Campbell refused bail and remanded Mr Mbuye in custody to appear before Cloverhill District Court on Wednesday. Legal assistance was provided.
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