Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1533191
3 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 12 MARCH 2025 NEWS NICOLE MEILAK nmeilak@mediatoday.com.mt Forensic police determined that 132kg of drugs - not 226kg - were stolen in AFM heist CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Liam Stewart, 23, from Pieta and 21-year-old Christa Gauci were in court today. Gauci is the girlfriend of Cleaven Pace. Why were the seized drugs at the AFM barracks? In the witness stand, inspec- tor Mark Anthony Mercie- ca explained the origin of the stolen drugs. He stated that on 17 June 2024, the Customs Department informed him of a suspicious container that had entered the Freeport. The drugs that were found were meant to be incinerated but due to a technical mal- function, the 226kg of cannabis resin were transported to the AFM compound in Safi. The court heard that initial- ly, all 226kg of drugs had gone missing from the AFM contain- er. However, forensic police later determined that the actual amount stolen was 132kg. Robbery lasted two hours On 23 February at 3:40 am, AFM soldiers on duty alerted inspector Mercieca that the container had been broken in- to and that items were stolen. Inspector Mercieca also told the court that CCTV footage showed individuals running in- side the barracks between mid- night and 2:30am. Two thieves were seen entering the con- tainer three times and emerged holding shopping bags. They reportedly exited the barracks through a hole in the metal fence surrounding the premis- es. The court also heard that a Toyota Belta was spotted on CCTV footage entering the Kirkop tunnels at around 11:00pm, with a black Toyota Vitz following closely behind. The shopping bags were seen later transferred from the Bel- ta to the Vitz at Sean Attard's garage in Ħaż-Żebbuġ. The in- spector testified that Sean At- tard, Carlos Pace, and Youssef Essesi were identified by CCTV footage, with Essesi seen med- dling with the number plates. Christa Gauci was allegedly driving the black Vitz. Forensic analysis of Chris- ta Gauci's mobile phone also confirmed that she was present at the scene of the robbery for two hours. Cross-examined by lawyer Franco Debono, inspector Mercieca said three soldiers were on duty at the barracks that night, including a soldier assigned with the surveillance of security cameras however none of them witnessed any- thing unusual. Mercieca admitted that the people inside the cars were not visible. However, CCTV foot- age confirmed that Sean Attard was seen coming out of the car near the Żebbug garage, imply- ing that Sean was at the wheels of the car while Pace and Essesi were in the container. The witness also said that no drugs were found at Gauci's residence in Gozo and that Gauci and Cleaven Pace coop- erated with the police. Regard- ing Essesi, the witness said that he told police that the 10 drug packages he allegedly stole were hidden in a garbage bag in a field in San Ġwann. Defence tries to declare lab results inadmissable During the compilation of ev- idence against Liam Stewart Godwin Sammut, a laboratory expert from the University of Malta testified that the laborato- ry which conducted tests on the stolen drugs was not accredited. Sammut explained that ac- creditation with regards to this sector was not mandatory due to there being no directives ad- dressing this. He explained that the process is underway, but no application is currently pend- ing with the Malta Accredita- tion Board. Following this revelation, lawyer Franco Debono re- quested that all test results from the university laboratory be declared inadmissible. Inspector Jeffrey Scicluna Briffa also testified, telling the court heard that the accused was arrested after police were notified that he was transport- ing some of the stolen drugs. He was arrested in Triq Mile End, Ħamrun. At the end of the sitting, Mag- istrate Elaine Rizzo said that she will decide on the matter of the accused's bail privately and not in court. Lawyers Franco Debono and Matthew Xuereb appeared for Sean Attard. Carlos Pace and Cleaven Pace are being defended by lawyers Franco Debono, Adreana Zam- mit, and Marion Camilleri. Yousef Essesi is being rep- resented by lawyer Amadeus Cachia. Christa Gauci is being rep- resented by lawyers Franco Debono, Marion Camilleri, and Andreana Zammit. Liam Stewart is being rep- resented by lawyers Franco Debono and Adreana Zammit. (Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday) THREE students and a lecturer will be pardoned for ethically hacking the stu- dent app FreeHour, as recommended by the Cabinet. According to a government press re- lease, the Cabinet discussed the case and took note of FreeHour's position on the matter. It acknowledged that, at the time the alleged crime was committed, Malta did not have a legal framework regulating ethical hacking. Because of this, the Cabinet agreed to recommend a presidential pardon for the accused. It will be up to the president to confirm the pardon for the four accused. Three students – Michael Debono, Giorgio Grigolo and Luke Bjorn Scerri – were charged last week with gaining un- authorised access to the FreeHour app. Their lecturer, Mark Joseph Vella, was charged as an accomplice because he proofread an email sent to FreeHour by the students. Back in October 2022, the students scanned the app's software and discov- ered vulnerabilities in it. Giorgio Grigolo made a change to the app to inform Free- Hour of this vulnerability. Grigolo took a screenshot of the change and then reverted everything back to its original state shortly after. After this, the students emailed Free- Hour's founder, Zach Ciappara, outlining their findings and asked for a reward in return for finding this mistake. After receiving the email, Ciappara re- ported the matter to the police and an in- vestigation was opened. Scerri, Grigolo, and Debono were ar- rested at their homes in November of 2022 arrested and taken into custody. Po- lice strip-searched them, searched their homes, and seized various tech devices and equipment. Cabinet recommends pardon for students and lecturer charged with hacking