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6 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 7 SEPTEMBER 2022 NEWS NEWS MATTHEW AGIUS NEIGHBOURS of a Santa Venera man accused of setting a boat on fire last month had filed a police report after hearing a loud domestic argument coming from his apartment late at night, after the fire. Wayne Delia, 36, from Santa Venera is accused of arson, in connection with a fire which broke out on the boat "Megan Valletta" while it was moored at Sliema, severely damaging it, during the early hours of 29 July. Delia also stands charged with having breached three separate sets of bail conditions. He denies the charges. When the compilation of evidence against Delia continued before Magistrate Joe Mifsud on Tues- day, the accused's partner, Rosaria Maria Camill- eri, was summoned to the stand. The woman, who had also been arrested in connection with the ar- son attack, opted to exercise her legal right not to answer any questions in court. Inspector Mario Xiberras, one of the investigat- ing police inspectors who is also leading the prose- cution in this case, also testified during the sitting. Xiberras told the court that during her interroga- tion, the woman had claimed that Delia was the victim in this case and that she was certain that he had been engaged to carry out the crime on some- one else's behalf. The court heard how police investigators had scoured CCTV footage of the jetty and had recog- nised a shirtless Delia from his tattoos. Inspector Xiberras explained how at around 1:15am on July 29, the Sliema police station re- ceived a report of a fire on board a boat moored at Sliema. Fortunately, a passer-by who noticed the flames had leapt on board the burning board and threw an object which seemed to be the source of the flames overboard, into the sea. This stopped the fire from engulfing the boat and destroying it. The inspector told the court that eyewitness ac- counts described a tall man climbing the boat's railings before the fire. Investigators discovered a half-empty five litre fuel can on board and noted that fuel had been spread on the boat's upholstery. Inspectors Xiberras and Sheldon told the court that Delia, his girlfriend and a certain Oivin Xuer- eb had met in Santa Venera and when the accused had suggested they go to a restaurant in Sliema. The woman was not aware of Delia's intentions, the court was told. Initial investigations into the fire revealed that the boat belonged to a certain Paul Gauci, who when spoken to by the police, explained that it would be used by another man, Keith Bezzina. Police investigators immediately began checking the CCTV footage in a bid to identify the two indi- viduals who appeared in the footage, walking along the jetty. One of these individuals was notably tall- er than the other. It emerged that two passers-by had witnessed the incident and that one of them had climbed aboard the boat, throwing the burning objects overboard. The second man, who had been fishing nearby, told police that he had seen two men near the boat. One of them, whom he described as tall, had climbed aboard and poured "some kind of liquid," before climbing the railing and throwing some- thing onto the boat. Inspector Xiberras explained that the police had also received a report of a domestic argument in Santa Venera later that night. It emerged that the woman in question would often be seen with Delia, something later confirmed by their mobile phone location data. One of the calls, from the woman to Delia, had taken place between 10pm and 1:20:am on the night between the 28th and 29th July. The call was routed through the Manoel Island mobile phone tower, said the inspector. Xiberras explained that two numbers involved had drawn his suspicion and one of them, which turned out to be registered to Oivin Xuereb, was corroborated by CCTV footage. At 1:04am, after the fire was started, a call had been made to a cab company asking to pick up Xuereb from Sliema. The voice making the call was recognised as De- lia's, he said. Delia, his girlfriend and Xuereb had been arrest- ed on August 25, after a lengthy investigation. Inspector Sheldon had questioned Delia's part- ner, who told him about the dinner date. She also told the police that she had argued with Delia later that night, at around 3am, about the arson attack, insisting that Delia "did what he did" because he had been put up to it by someone else. The woman had insisted with the police that she had only found out about the arson after they had left Sliema. On his part, Xuereb had told the police that he and Delia had gone to Manoel Island to fill the pet- rol can. Xuereb claimed that the men had planned to use it during a barbecue and that he had "gone crazy" when he discovered the fuel's real intended purpose. Xuereb had told the police that he had warned Delia that he was "gambling with the prospect of eight years in jail." The man had also claimed to have tried to hide the petrol can in some bushes, only for Delia to find it soon afterwards. Xuereb had also booked a taxi for the group from Sliema. The prosecution informed the court that Xuereb is currently on police bail and did not appear to have any involvement in the crime, al- though investigations were still ongoing. The owners of the damaged boat, Paul Gauci and Keith Bezzina also testified, saying that the cost of repairing the damage caused by the fire had been estimated at €778.80. Lawyers Franco Debono, Marion Camilleri and Francesca Zarb, appearing for Delia, made no re- quest for bail at this stage. The case was adjourned to September for more witness testimony. Inspectors Jeffrey Scicluna and Colin Sheldon are prosecuting, Lawyer Rene Darmanin appeared as parte civile for the boat owners. Boat arson: accused's girlfriend told police he was commissioned by third party COURT NOTICE By a decree of the Consumer Claims Tribunal of 27th January, 2022, the publication of the following extract was ordered for the purpose of service in terms of Article 187(3) of the Code of Organisation and Civil Procedure (Cap 12). Elton Buhagiar of 125, Triq San Kristofru, Valletta, filed a Claim on the 14th April, 2020, whereby they asked the Tribunal to condemn Charles Schembri and Technomarine Holdings Ltd of Triq Burmarrad, Naxxar, to pay the plaintiff the sum of €1568, which amount is due to the plaintiff. The case (CCT number 142/2020) is deferred on the 27th October, 2022, at 12.45pm. Registry of the Courts of Magistrates (Malta), today 12 August, 2022. ALEXANDER DEBATTISTA For the Registrar, Civil Courts and Tribunals CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 He said that if government had not subsidised energy prices, the cost of living adjustment (CO- LA) next year would have been around €25 and not in the region of between €9 and €10. "No enterprise would have been ready for that. We did not subsidise energy for politi- cal convenience but because it makes sense." Caruana however emphasised that although the support would remain, the deficit of the country had to be kept under control. He stated that the aim was to keep the deficit at between 5.5% and 5.8% of GDP. Caruana vowed that the budget would be a social one and that it would safeguard the interests of those who were most vulnerable. The meeting continued behind closed doors. On his way into the meeting, Caruana told reporters that "the important thing is that the gov- ernment has its priorities in or- der, finances under control and the most vulnerable in society are protected." Asked whether that meant that certain capital projects would be shelved or postponed, Caru- ana said that projects financed through EU funds would go on as planned. He did not say what would happen to other projects fully financed by the government. Social partners react Abigail Mamo, CEO of the Malta Chamber of SMEs said the Chamber was satisfied that the government pledged that the energy subsidies would remain. With regards to COLA, Mamo said that the Chamber stands by the mechanism and that it be- lieves that it should be honoured in all circumstances. "The COLA increase for next year will be substantially more than in previous years and it is not easy for businesses to absorb such an increase in wages. We however do not believe in a pick and choose system, as everyone is affected by inflation," Mamo said. Josef Vella, CEO of UĦM – Voice of the Workers said the union will ensure that those that were under COLA inclusive agreements would benefit fully from the COLA increase. "It is not a happy situation that the COLA is so high as that means that the inflation is high. Such an injection is much need- ed, as without it the purchas- ing power would be eroded and the economy would come to a standstill," Vella said. General Workers Union Gen- eral Secretary Josef Bugeja said the union was satisfied with the government's assurances that the energy subsidies would be pursued. "We will keep insisting for a second COLA mechanism to keep helping the most vulnera- ble in society and for equal pay for jobs of equal value," he said. Government aims to maintain deficit at 5.5% and 5.8% of GDP