Jetstar passenger is tasered and booted off flight brutally stopped by reporter
Bolick Bet Malo Tasered By AFP Onboard Jetstar Flight Malo Claims He Did Nothing Wrong After Abusing Staff Reporter Responds By Asking Why He Pleaded Guilty
A Jetstar passenger who was subjected to a flight taser and booted was caught in an awkward moment outside court after claiming he had ‘done nothing wrong’.
Bolik Bet Malo, 30, pleaded guilty in Perth Magistrates Court on Thursday to obstructing an officer and behaving in an offensive or disorderly manner on an aircraft.
The Sudanese refugee-turned-music producer hurled abuse at airline staff on a Jetstar flight from Perth to Melbourne on March 18.
An alcohol-fueled argument ensued between Malo and his wife, with the latter asking the cabin crew to switch seats so she could be separated from him.
Malo, who also preceded his family and other passengers to board his flight, refused to follow the crew’s instructions to take a seat away from his wife.
Bolick Bet Malo, 30, pleaded guilty at Perth Magistrates Court to obstructing an officer and behaving in an offensive or disorderly manner on an aircraft.
The plane’s captain called the Australian Federal Police, who wrestled Malo aboard the plane.
Malo put an officer in a headlock and tried to take his Taser before police Tasered him three times and later released the flight.
Outside court on Thursday, the music producer refused to apologise, insisting he is ‘innocent’.
‘How can I be sorry when I was the one who moved from my seat?’ he told reporters.
‘So I didn’t do anything wrong.’
9News reporter Jack Hahn replied: ‘Why did you plead guilty if you didn’t do anything wrong?’
Malau awkwardly turned away from Han before walking away without a word.
Sudanese refugee-turned-music producer wrestles with AFP officers after refusing to take his seat on plane
Footage of the incident shows officers storming the plane and forcibly removing Malo.
‘You have failed to comply with aircraft instructions. I want you to come with me now…either you come with us voluntarily or we’re going to catch you,’ and the officer can be heard saying.
When Malo refused officers shouted: ‘Stop resisting’ before deploying a Taser to subdue him.
Malo was then placed in a headlock and taken off the plane while writhing in pain.
In a statement, AFP said they needed to arrest Malo after assaulting an officer.
“Police had to deploy a Taser to detain and arrest the man,” AFP said in a statement.
‘Three AFP officers sustained minor injuries which were later treated.’
The Australian Federal Police described the incident as ‘one of the most serious incidents on an aircraft in WA for some time’ (pictured, Australian Federal Police officers arresting Malo)
The AFP described the incident as ‘one of the most serious incidents involving an aircraft in WA for some time’.
Malo was initially charged with four offences, including one of failing to comply with a safety directive and harming a commonwealth officer, and spent two days behind bars.
Those crimes were later plea bargained into two, to which he pleaded guilty.
Malo was fined $1500, ordered to pay court costs and ordered to conditional release for one year with a $2000 bond.
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