Akini Grimes of D’Urban Street, Lodge, pleaded not guilty to the charge of unlawful wounding when Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson read it to him.
He denied that on November 28 he unlawfully and maliciously wounded Odelley Pestano.
His lawyer Adrian Thompson applied for reasonable bail for him on the grounds that his client was the victim in the incident.
He said that on the day in question Pestano attacked Grimes and in self-defence Grimes picked up a glass bottle that he used to hit Pestano to his head.
The court was also told that earlier, Pestano was involved in another incident with another man that resulted in him sustaining head injuries.
The prosecution told the court that their facts about what might have occurred on the day of the incident were similar to what the defence had stated.
Grimes is scheduled to make another court appearance on December 14.
