Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1538870
6 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 27 AUGUST 2025 COURT Cab driver who drove into hair salon caused over €10,000 in damages, court hears THE cab driver who crashed into a Santa Venera hair salon caused €10,020 in damages, a court heard on Monday. The figure emerged dur- ing the criminal proceedings against the driver, 42-year-old Somali national Abdi Salaan Mahamad Abditon Ali. Ali was charged with driving under the influence on 10 August after crashing into a hair salon in Santa Venera. He has pleaded not guilty. The court previously heard that Ali's breathalyser test showed 107.3 micrograms of alcohol per 100 ml of breath. The legal limit for cab drivers is zero. On Monday, a representa- tive from MAPFRE Insurance confirmed that the cab was insured between 1 June 2025 and 31 May 2026. The policy was under the name of Rich- ard Attard, with Ali listed as an authorised driver. The witness clarified that since Ali was over the alcohol limit, neither he nor the policyholder would be covered for the crash. Still, the insurer is obliged to compensate the salon owner. With no further evidence to present, the prosecution rested its case. Another bail request was made for Ali. In the previous sitting, bail had already been requested but it was refused since the accused had no local bank account to provide a €10,000 guarantee in favour of the victim. Defence lawyer Francesca Zarb, argued that the previous issue about a bank guarantee was no longer relevant since the insurer would be settling the claim. The court disagreed, noting that the law does not re- quire insurers to compensate third parties immediately. Ali was once again denied bail with the court stating it was not confident the accused could meet the necessary con- ditions. Inspectors Nathan Bugeja and Rachel Aquilina prosecuted, while lawyer Francesca Zarb represented the accused. Lawyers Zack Esmail and Kayleigh Borg appeared for the victim. The case was presided over by Magistrate Victor Axiak MAYA GALEA mgalea@mediatoday.com.mt No one was inside the hair salon, and only the cab driver was hospitalised after the crash (Photo: TVM News) Police investigations lead to man uploading child sex abuse material online A court was told how police in- vestigations led to the identifica- tion of a man who was uploading child sex abuse material online. Mladen Terzic, a 69-year-old Croatian man, residing in St Paul's Bay, was charged with knowingly acquiring, possessing, and displaying indecent material involving a person under the age of nine. Inspector Eman Hayman brief- ly outlined the circumstances of the man's arrest. The National Center for Missing and Exploit- ed Children informed authorities that a computer was being used to upload several child sexual abuse materials. Investigators traced the indi- vidual to a local internet service provider, Melita, and the physical address of the modem's connec- tion was identified. By obtaining information about the individuals residing at that address, they were able to iden- tify the accused. However, the Melita service was registered un- der a different name. Both the man under whom the service was registered and the accused were arrested, but inves- tigations later showed that the former had no involvement. Terzic pleaded not guilty. No bail request was made and he was remanded in custody. Inspector Eman Hayman pros- ecuted. Magistrate Joseph Gatt presided. Legal aid lawyer Victor Bugeja assisted Terzic. MAYA GALEA mgalea@mediatoday.com.mt Maltese authorities were alerted by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that a substantial amount of indecent material was being uploaded by a man residing in Malta Investigators traced the online activity to a physical address in St Paul's Bay