A Canberra man has been accused of violently attacking three of his neighbours following a heated verbal dispute over rubbish left on a property in the suburb of Stirling. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday afternoon, led to the 36-year-old's arrest and subsequent court appearance the following day.
Altercation Escalates from Verbal Disagreement to Physical Assault
According to police documents presented to the ACT Magistrates Court, the confrontation began when a female neighbour approached Karifa Bangura in the early afternoon and requested that he remove rubbish that had been left on her property. The situation quickly deteriorated from a verbal exchange into an alleged physical assault.
Police allege that Bangura responded aggressively, yelling at the woman before grabbing and shoving her during the altercation. The commotion attracted the attention of two additional neighbours who reportedly witnessed the incident from their home and came outside to intervene.
Multiple Victims Allegedly Assaulted During Neighbourhood Confrontation
The court heard that when the second female neighbour and a male neighbour confronted Bangura about the initial assault, the situation escalated further. Authorities claim Bangura then allegedly shoved and struck the second woman in the face before aggressively grabbing the male neighbour.
Police officers arrived at the scene shortly after the multiple alleged assaults and arrested the 36-year-old Stirling resident. During Wednesday's court proceedings, it was revealed that Bangura did not know any of the three alleged victims prior to the incident.
Bail Granted with Strict Conditions Following Court Appearance
Karifa Bangura appeared before Magistrate Ian Temby in the ACT Magistrates Court on Wednesday, January 21, dressed casually in thongs, shorts and a T-shirt. He did not enter pleas to the three charges of common assault that have been laid against him.
The magistrate granted Bangura bail with several strict conditions, including a requirement that he not come within five metres of any of the three alleged victims. When asked by Magistrate Temby whether he understood and could comply with these conditions, Bangura responded affirmatively with a simple "Yes."
The case has been adjourned until February, when Bangura is scheduled to return to court. The incident highlights how seemingly minor neighbourhood disputes can rapidly escalate into serious criminal matters requiring police intervention and legal proceedings.
