Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1440477
5 NEWS maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 5 JANUARY 2022 MATTHEW AGIUS THREE young men have ap- peared in court in connection with string of motorbike thefts, after being arrested by police of- ficers who spotted them riding a stolen quadbike. Inspectors Roderick Attard, Sta- cy Gatt and Andy Rotin charged 18-year-old electrician Brooklyn Camilleri from Floriana and two other youths, both aged 15, from Mġarr and Dingli with a spate of motorcycle thefts from Mtarfa, Dingli and Rabat. The three were arraigned to- gether before magistrate Victor Axiak yesterday afternoon. Magistrate Victor Axiak heard how the youths had allegedly caused damage to, and then sto- len, six motorcycles during the month of December. The younger boys' parents were present in the courtroom for the arraignment. Inspector Attard told the court that on 13 December the Rabat Police station had been informed of the theft of the first motorcy- cle. Subsequently, more thefts were reported in similar circum- stances. On 20 December, Farrugia and Schembri were caught on one of the stolen quad bikes in a parking lot and arrested. One of the ac- cused cooperated with the police and assisted the investigation, At- tard said. The names of the 15-year-olds, who informed the court that they were students, are being withheld from publication on the court's orders. The defence did not contest the validity of the arrest. The accused all pleaded not guilty to the charges and request- ed bail. The court was told that one of the accused had initially intend- ed to admit the charges, but there was a misunderstanding and the issue would be tackled after the compilation of evidence is as- signed to a magistrate. Inspector Attard objected to bail in the case of Camilleri due to his lack of trustworthiness and the fear that he would approach witnesses. His criminal record showed that he had been given chances in the past and in fact was being accused of breaching two probation orders. Defence lawyer Leontine Calleja argued that her client lived with his parents and had a job. "He is young and trying to find his feet, it would not be good for him to be thrown into prison." He didn't know who the victims were, she added. Liberty is the rule not the exception, concluded the lawyer. The Prosecution informed the court that there were no eyewit- nesses, or civilian parties who could be approached by the ac- cused if they were released on bail. Inspector Attard insisted that Camilleri had wasted several op- portunities given to him when he had been found guilty of stealing motorcycles in the past. "Let's not use employment as an ex- cuse to argue for bail… He chose to steal six motorcycles" said the inspector. The court upheld the request for Camilleri's release on bail. He was ordered to sign a bail book twice a week and observe a cur- few. His bail was to be guaranteed by a deposit of €500 and a per- sonal guarantee of €5,000. With regards the 15-year-old from Mgarr, defence lawyer Jo- sette Sultana informed the court that he now lived in Birżebbugia with his father. The prosecution did not object to bail as long as strict conditions were imposed. Bail was granted with the accused being ordered to sign a bail book twice a week and observe a cur- few. His release from arrest was secured by a deposit of €250 and a personal guarantee of €5,000. The other 15-year-old, from Dingli, was placed under identi- cal bail conditions. The magistrate explained to the accused that their release was a privilege, telling them "you could have slept in prison today" and warning them that if they breached their bail conditions, their problems would only get worse. He gave a similar warning to the parents of the accused mi- nors. Lawyer Leontine Calleja ap- peared for Brooklyn Camilleri. Lawyer Arthur Azzopardi ap- peared for the teen from Dingli, and lawyer Josette Sultana is rep- resenting the teen from Mġarr. Youths charged with string of six motorbike thefts MATTHEW VELLA THE trial by jury of self-confessed hitman Vince Muscat 'il-Koħħu' will begin tomorrow, Thursday 6 January, charged with the botched 2010 HSBC heist. The criminal defence lawyers Franco Debono and Robert Mon- talto will be the defence counsels to Muscat. Some 65 shots were fire at police who turned up on site and foiled the daring robbery, which had taken full advantage of the general absence of police on duty due to the State visit of the Italian Presi- dent and an Isle of MTV event. A police witness, former con- stable Mario Portelli, would later allege that the lawyer and sacked police inspector David Gatt, had masterminded the heist. The case was never proven in court and Gatt was acquitted. At the time he shared his legal office with former Labour minister Chris Cardona. Gatt himself had represented Vincent Muscat in court when the latter was granted bail in No- vember 2010 for a botched hold- up on the jeweller Michael Miz- zi. Also implicated in the crime were Fabio Psaila 'il-Ġeneral' and Daren Debono 'it-Topo', who was seriously injured in both his legs when Mizzi's son confronted him and fires a gun at him. The Criminal Court is also to de- cree on a request by a former po- lice officer who was shot at during the infamous 2010 HSBC hold up, requesting permission not to tes- tify due to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder caused by the incident. Mr. Justice Giovanni Grixti heard submissions made on be- half of former police constable Kenneth Ciangura, who request- ed that he not be asked to testify before the jury. If upheld, he will not be cross-examined during the trial, and the jury will instead be given copies of his testimony be- fore the lower courts. Ciangura had already testified during the compilation of evi- dence in 2010, telling the court how he had gone to investigate a report of a suspicious car near the HSBC Centre in Qormi. As he went up the steps outside the building, three men dressed in suits and wearing wigs were com- ing down, he said. Finding them- selves face to face with the police, the three men had turned abruptly and ran back inside the building. He said he had been shot at by the robbers as he dashed back to the car. Ciangura had testified that he had fired two warning shots into the air, but when he realised they were shooting at him, he started returning fire. The constable said he and his colleague told the control room that they were being shot at and called for reinforcements. They then crossed the road and hid behind a parked Daihatsu. Cian- gura said he had counted 61 shots during the firefight. He had fired 17, and his colleagues another 14. Ciangura had just one round left in his magazine, the court had heard. During the firefight, a Kia Sor- rento had stopped in front of the bank, and the three suspects jumped inside and escaped. HSBC heist: trial by jury of Vince Muscat 'il-Kohhu' starts Thursday Vince Muscat, self-confessed hitman in Caruana Galizia assassination, tomorrow face a trial by jury on charges of involvemenet in the 2010 HSBC heist Vince Muscat 'il-Kohhu'