Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1538630
6 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 20 AUGUST 2025 COURT MAYA GALEA mgalea@mediatoday.com.mt A 47-year-old man from Birkirkara admitted to breaching two separate sets of bail conditions. Joswil Galea was granted bail in September 2023 and was also subjected to yet another set of bail conditions after being released from arrest in Oc- tober 2024. He violated both. Inspector Omar Zammit was informed that Galea had not signed the bail book as he was or- dered to do for the past two weeks. His rearrest was ordered. He pleaded guilty. In submissions for punish- ment, Inspector Omar Zammit requested that his previous bail be revoked and that an effective prison term be imposed owing to him being a re- cidivist. Legal aid lawyer Silvan Pulis countered that the man fully cooperated and that he must be given a minimum punishment. No request for bail was made. In 2012, Galea was jailed for three years and three months after he admitted to setting fire to a boat berthed at the Bugibba Jetty in St Paul's Bay. The prosecution was led by Inspector Omar Zammit. Magistrate Gabriella Vella presided. Le- gal aid lawyer Silvan Pulis appeared for the man. The case was adjourned for sentencing on 26 August at 9:00am. Man faked lease contracts to secure residence permits for third-country nationals A 33-year-old man has plead- ed guilty to providing false lease agreements to third-country nationals looking to secure a residence permit. Zulqurnain Bashir, who holds a Pakistan passport and resides in Sliema, was charged in court with making false declarations to a public authority. The arrest was not contested. He was arrested on Monday at the Identità offices in connec- tion with providing false lease agreements to third-country nationals. These documents were allegedly used to obtain fake residence permits in Malta. According to Inspector Karl Roberts, some of these third country nationals were victims while others definitely weren't. The accused was reportedly ful- ly aware that the residence per- mits and lease agreements were falsified. The lease documents, which contained fake address- es, were submitted to both the Housing Authority and Identità Malta. In view of his early guilty plea, the parties agreed that the case merits a suspended sentence. The prosecution and the defence were both of the opinion that the man should be handed such punish- ment. Defence lawyer Amadeus Cachia said that the inspector was right in saying that the man is not a victim, but argued that Bashir was a vic- tim earlier on in the matter. While applying for a residence permit, he too was handed false documents and fake addresses. The court heard that Bashir is in stable employment. After he reconfirmed his ad- mission, Bashir was handed a one-year-sentence, suspended for three years. Inspector Karl Roberts prosecut- ed. Lawyer Amadeus Cachia ap- peared for Bashir. Man remanded in custody after denying drug trafficking charges A 28-year-old man from Senegal has pleaded not guilty after he was charged with drug trafficking. Charges against him included traf- ficking and possessing ecstasy, co- caine and cannabis which were all deemed not to be for his personal use. Inspector Dylan Pace testified that two police officers were on patrol in St Julian's when they walked towards the accused. Upon noticing the of- ficers, the man appeared startled and ran off. He was stopped, arrested, and escorted to the police station. A search revealed 50 sachets of cannabis, 30 sachets of cocaine, and 160 ecstasy pills in his possession and inside his rucksack. The accused admitted to having acquired the drugs and told police he intended to sell them. €800 in cash was also found on his person. He denied the charges. Bail was not requested at this stage and he was remanded in custody. AG lawyer Nadia Ciappara and In- spector Dylan Pace led the prosecu- tion. olice found various types of drugs in the man's possession (Photos: Malta Police Force) Recidivist back in court, admits to breaching two sets of bail terms