Inmate's jail term reduced

An appeal court yesterday reduced a two-year jail term for a prisoner's part in the 1993 prison riots after finding him not guilty of causing more than Lm500 damage at the prisons but only of causing less than Lm10 damage.

The jail term for Reno Zarb was reduced by four months.

The appeal of another three prisoners was dismissed. Gaetano Xerri was originally jailed for two years while Joseph Azzopardi had been jailed for three months.

Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono, in the Court of Criminal Appeal, found no reason to disturb the judgment handed down by the Magistrates' Court.

The appeal filed by Charles Mugliette was dismissed on a technicality. Mr Justice Galea Debono ruled his appeal null and void.

All four had been convicted for their part in the 1993 prison riots when they broke out of their cells and special police had to be called in to control them.

They had been charged with stealing medicine from the prison pharmacy and possession of psychotropic drugs on February 25, 1993.

They were also charged with causing more than Lm500 damage at the prison, escaping from custody, injuring prison officers and destroying documents in public archives.