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2 maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 30 JULY 2014 DANIEL MIZZI JOSEPH Zammit, the getaway driver who is serving a 30-year jail term after admitting to participat- ing in the San Gwann bank heist that left bank messenger Alphonse Ferriggi dead in 2000, admitted in court yesterday that he knew of the "plan to commit the heist." Zammit was summonsed to tes- tify yesterday in the compilation of evidence against Chris Scerri, known as 'Buttuni' or 'Gazzetti', and James Vella, known as 'il- Frejzer', who stand accused of the murder of Alphonse Ferriggi on September 18, 2000. Taking the witness stand, Zam- mit said that he was "framed", and insisted that his only job was to drive the three men – Scerri, Vella and Richard Grech – to a valley in San Gwann before the three got into a black Volkswagen and left to carry out the heist. Zammit, who appeared flustered and uncomfortable in his testimony, insisted that he has already told the police everything he knows. Warned by Magistrate Josette Demicoli, he was heard telling Inspector Keith Arnaud not to summons him again as he had nothing else to say. Offering scant details of the heist, Zammit told the court that on the day, the accused Vella and Scerri, and Richard Grech, known as 'Iz- Zinanna', turned up at his home demanding that he drive them to a drop-off point in San Gwann. He then got into a red Mazda 121 and drove them to a valley in San Gwann before the three men got into a black Volkswagen and left. Pressed by the magistrate as to why he did not want to go, Zammit said that he had heard of plans to carry out the heist. Taking the witness stand, George Debono, the man who allegedly lent the accused his rented Mazda as the drop-off car, told the court that Vella had requested that he lends him a car so he could go out with his girlfriend. While not confirming that he had in fact let Vella use his Mazda, Debono nevertheless said that he had left a car outside a band club in Qormi known as Tal-Werqa. The keys were left under the seat. On his part, Justin Fenech, a friend of Richard Grech – the man who is currently serving a life sentence for his part in the failed San Gwann heist – told the court that Grech had confessed to carrying out the hold-up, but he did not believe him because he "always stretched the truth." He said that Grech had told him that il-Frejzer and il-Buttuni had done the hold up with him, but insisted that the names had been mentioned during his police inter- rogation by CID. The sitting also saw the court refuse a plea by the prosecution for the relatives of the accused to be barred from the courtroom, claim- ing that the relatives' "constant interruptions are interrupting the witnesses." Inspector Arnaud insisted that witnesses should not feel uncom- fortable or hindered from testifying. He also said that one of the accused had called him a cuckold during a previous sitting, and that there were also continuous comments directed by accused's relatives. Inspectors Chris Pullicino and Keith Arnaud are prosecuting while lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri are defence counsel. The case continues. Convicted getaway driver says he was framed, admits to having known of BOV heist BRINGING YOU THE BEST IN CRIME A 54-year-old man from Kercem, Gozo, was this morning granted bail after pleading not guilty to running over and injuring police constable Savio Vassallo at the end of Kercem village feast last Sunday. The incident occurred last Sun- day, when the accused, Gregory Stellini, allegedly tried to pass through a closed road when the police constable stopped him. An argument then ensued and the po- liceman issued him with a ticket for his contravention. Incensed by the fine, the Kercem man then got into his truck and ran the police constable over. Standing before the Gozo court this morning, prosecuting inspec- tor Bernard Spiteri told the court that the accused had intentionally driven over the policeman. Stellini was also charged with driving negligently, of injuring the police constable, and of disobey- ing police orders. He pleaded not guilty to the charges. Magistrate Joanne Vella Cusch- ieri granted the accused bail against a personal guarantee of €3,000. He was also ordered to sign a bail sheet at the Rabat po- lice station. Law yer Deborah Mercieca repre- sented the accused, while Inspec- tor Bernard Spiteri prosecuted. Gozitan charged with running over police constable A 21-year-old Finnish woman who wanted to make a bomb threat as a " joke" so she could get off work earlier has been fined €500 after admitting to being an accomplice in a bomb threat to her workplace. The court heard that on Sunday, the accused, Roosa-Maria Rimpi- laeinen, who works at Besedo Gaming Company, wanted to get off work earlier. She telephoned her friend, gave him the phone number of the com- pany, and asked him to make a bomb threat. Her friend, a 32-year-old man from Zebbug, Gozo, subsequently made the call and told the recep- tionist "he has information that there is a bomb." Startled by the call, the receptionist asked him whether he was serious, but the man hung up. In view of the bomb threat, the building was evacuated as a pre- caution. Rimipilaeinen, who admitted to have been worried as a result of the evacuation, told the court that the bomb threat was only a joke. Prosecuting inspector Jonathan Ransley told the court that the police arrested the man after they tracked his mobile phone number. During his interrogation, the man told police that the bomb threat was Rimpilaienen's idea and that she had even given him the phone number of the premises. The 32-year-old Gozitan man – whose name cannot be published – admitted to making the bomb threat, while Roosa-Marie Rimpi- laeine admitted to being an accom- plice. They were each fined €500. Lawyer Jason Grima represented the accused. Two fined over bomb threat to skive work

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