Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/250270
7 News maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 29 JANUARY 2014 Diesel smuggler awaits outcome of appeal in Libyan court JURGEN BALZAN THE two Maltese men who were last year arrested by Libyan authorities on charges of trying to smuggle large volumes of diesel into Malta, have met contrasting fates. The two men, Matthew Piscopo of Marsaxlokk and Kevin McManus of Marsacala, were arrested by Libyan authorities in two separate instances on boats sailing from Libya towards Malta, allegedly shipping thousands of litres of fuel illegally. Following reports of the two Maltese nationals' arraignment, Malta- Today has learnt that while one of the two men was released, the other was found guilty by the Libyan courts and is awaiting the outcome of his appeal. Contacted by MaltaToday, the Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed that one of the two detainees was released and left Libya on 24 September 2013, however citing data protection laws, the ministry refused to pinpoint which of the two men has been released. However, MaltaToday is informed that Matthew Piscopo, who was arrested on 25 March aboard Egyptian vessel Fahd Al-Islam, returned to Malta in September, suggesting that Man jailed after admitting theft charges FOUR years after being arraigned over an attempted robbery on a 65year-old woman in Valletta, Christopher Philip Agius was yesterday imprisoned for four years after pleading guilty prior to facing a trial by jury. The case dates back to the eve of 22 August 2010, when Maria Muscat was sitting on a bench in St George's Square, Valletta. At around 5.30pm, she moved to a table at Cafe Cordina. The accused, who at the time was 19-years-old, had been shadowing the movements of the elderly lady for around 20 minutes. When Muscat sat at her table, the accused, together with an accomplice assaulted her, and grabbed her necklace. During the attack the necklace snapped and the woman fell to the ground and suffered grievous injuries. The two youths, realising they could have been recognised, fled the scene, leaving the necklace on the ground. Three days later, Christopher Philip Agius and 21-year old Charles Ryan Vella were charged with assault, attempted theft, damaging private property. Agius was also charged with committing an offence during the term of a suspended jail term. Both were remanded in custody and faced separate proceedings. Earlier this month the Attorney General submitted a legal application informing the court the prosecution was ready to drop the charge of attempted theft aggravated by violence if Agius admits to all charges. Yesterday, Christopher Philip Agius admitted to all charges. However, the court held that although the accused admitted to the charges, his admission cannot be considered as an early plea of guilt as it was neither filed during his arraignment nor during the compilation of evidence. Mr Justice Lawrence Quintano imprisoned Agius for four years. Separate proceedings against accomplice Charles Ryan Vella are still ongoing. McManus is the Maltese seaman still in custody. "The other Maltese national is still in custody in Libya. Court proceedings in the latter case have taken place and the Maltese national was found guilty by the Libyan Courts. An appeal to the Tripoli Supreme Court has been filed," a ministry spokesperson said. Moreover, the ministry explained that the Consulate of Malta in Tripoli is in contact with the detainee who is in "good physical health but understandably misses contacts with his family in Malta". McManus was aboard the Levante, a Panamanian-registered cargo vessel which was stopped off the Libyan coast by a Libyan Navy vessel on suspicion of smuggling fuel from Libya to Malta on 8 April 2013. According to reports which appeared on the Libya Herald, a Libyan Navy spokesperson, Captain Ayyub Umru Kassim, the ship which was heading towards Malta was carrying 400 tonnes of contraband diesel fuel. The Levante's crew included McManus and seven Egyptians who reportedly admitted to charges of smuggling fuel and of their involvement in various other trips in which fuel was smuggled to Malta. Documents found aboard indicated that the Levante was involved in four previous fuel-running trips. A few days earlier, the Fahd Al-Islam, was stopped off Zuara and its 13man crew, which had Piscopo among its number, were arrested. Documents found on board the boat indicated that this smuggling attempt was not the first. During this month alone, the boat had apparently made three trips from Libya to Malta, allegedly working for a Maltese company. At Libyan petrol stations, the pump price for 400 tonnes of diesel would be around €36,000, while in Malta it could cost around €620,000. Prison inmates build playroom for visiting children FOURTEEN inmates and four prison officials dedicated their time and energy to construct and decorate a playroom to be used by children visiting their parents at the Corradino Correctional Facility. The sunny playroom, with yellow walls and coloured flooring is indeed a welcoming environment for both children and adults. Cut away from the prison divisions, children will no longer be subjected to a cold environment as they meet their mother or father for few minutes. One of the inmates who worked on the project, 38-year-old Dennis Cremona, said it was not only satisfying for him to have contributed to the construction of the room but that he also looked forward to his children seeing the work. "I used to tell them I was working here when they come to visit. But now they are growing up and question why, for example, there was a man in uniform looking at them. They now understand what's going on but I don't want them to feel uncomfortable here... visiting hours are what I look forward to," he said. Cremona, who only has 11 months left to serve his term, said it helped that he was doing voluntary work – both in passing time and gaining work experience. Once he becomes a free man, it would be less difficult to find employment. He is also volunteering for the Rise Foundation – a non-governmental organisation that helps in the rehabilitation of inmates. Inaugurating the new room, Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia said developing a friendly environment for inmates' children had always been his "dream". "It has become a reality thanks to the work and dedication of these 14 inmates. But in building this room, they have also helped themselves. Time is a prisoner's worst enemy but such works show that are indeed capable persons," Mallia said. He insisted that children should not pay for their parents' wrongdoing and the playroom was one way of protecting children. He reiterated government's commitment in developing a proper rehabilitation programme, adding that while people had to pay for their wrongdoing they should also be helped and guided into becoming better citizens.