Weekly News highlights

An explosion in a house in Qormi early last Sunday caused considerable damage to the building in the lower end of the street. There was no one in the Polidano family home at the time. Sources said the bomb, a four-inch petard, was placed behind the front garden gate. Despite the structural damage, no-one was injured.

Man found dead; woman charged

George Cefai, 29, of Pietà was found dead in an apartment in Steps Street, Valletta, last Sunday. Neighbours entered the apartment after noticing a foul smell. A syringe was found next to the body and the man was known to police as a drug user. The man had been dead for some days and was identified from an identity card found on him.

On Tuesday, Josette Bickle, 33, of Valletta was charged in court with trafficking cocaine and heroin. She pleaded not guilty. Police said she was arrested during the investigation of Cefai's death. However, they stressed so far there was no concrete link between the two. On Thursday an appeal court confirmed a three-year jail term for Bickle. She was also fined Lm200.

Man dies in fall

Charles Gauci, 40, of Luqa on Monday was found dead, sprawled over the iron gratings in a restaurant's shaft in Xlendi. He had been occupying a rented flat next to the restaurant. No foul play is suspected but a cash register from the fifth floor was found on the top floor's balcony; police are also investigating a case of theft.

IMF report on Malta

The IMF said on Wednesday that Malta's efforts to achieve robust growth hinged on further improvements in public finances and sustained efforts to reform the economy. The report, published in Washington, gives a generally positive assessment of the recent performance of Maltese economy, but notes that fiscal consolidation and structural reforms have lost momentum over the year.

Two tax credit schemes

Finance Minister John Dalli gave details on Wednesday of two separate tax credit schemes, one for self-employed persons and another for individuals and companies that carry out research and development of products. The minister said these measures are in line with EU legislation because they do not discriminate in favour of any one sector and were across the board.

Maltacom contests Lm2.3 million VAT claim

Maltacom announced on Wednesday a 36.3 per cent increase in operating profit for the first six months of the year. This was before taking into account an exceptional item of Lm2.28 millionn, consisting of a VAT assessment claim by the VAT Department on international incoming interconnection traffic between January 2000 and June 2002.

Group CEO Stephen Muscat told a meeting that the company objected to this VAT assessment for several reasons, including that Malta was a signatory to an international agreement that excluded the imposition of VAT on such traffic.

Lm25,000 fraud charge

Mark Randon, 34, of Birkirkara was charged on Wednesday with defrauding a client of Lm25,000. He pleaded not guilty to forging a BoV cheque issued by Travelex Financial Services Malta Ltd to Saviour Farrugia last year and forging Farrugia's signature on the back of the cheque. He also pleaded not guilty to misappropriating Lm25,000, defrauding Farrugia, Travelex and other people, making malicious use of the cheque and handling stolen property. Mr Randon was indicted.

Stowaways caught at Freeport

Freeport security officials apprehended three Algerian stowaways who humped from a ship and swam ashore at the port on Thursday. Sources said the local agents of the MV Nicole had informed the freeport that there were stowaways and police were also alerted. They were returned to Algiers on Friday.

Alfred Mifsud quits MLP

Alfred Mifsud, an MLP candidate in last April's general election, has resigned from the party. Mr Mifsud informed the party's vigilance board of his resignation, following a warning two weeks ago that unless he stopped writing "harmful articles" about the party in the press, action would be taken. Mr Mifsud said he was not willing to live with threats.

Fisherman charged with daughter's rape

A 43-year-old marsaxlokk fisherman, charged with regularly raping his 25-year-old daughter, was denied bail on Friday after a magistrate heard how he tried to visit her in hospital. The man pleaded not guilty to rape, holding the girl against her will, and other charges, including that of being a relapser (he has just served 20 years in jail for murder).

Bail was denied after the fisherman was released from arrest for eight hours to bring his boat ashore and instead he went to hospital and tried to gain access to his daughter. He was remanded in custody.

Cannabis found in hotel

Three men are being held after two kilos of cannabis resin were discovered in a hotel in Mellieha on Friday. The find followed a surveillance operation spread over the past day and which involved the police shadowing various people. A sum of money and implements associated with drug trafficking were also seized. Police said the persons in question will be arraigned shortly.

Girl claims double rape

A german girl, 17, reported she was raped by two young men and forced to perform indecent acts with another at St Julian's Bay on Friday. Police are investigating.