Shop assistant acquitted

A shop assistant was yesterday cleared of offering for sale equipment used for making counterfeit satellite smart cards.

Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera cleared Kevin Vella, 35, of offering the equipment for sale at Satellite Centre, in St Andrews on and before September 18, 2001.

She heard a court expert explain how the possession of the equipment was not illegal but using the equipment to make or alter smart cards without authority was illegal.

After evaluating the evidence the magistrate ruled it had not been proven that the equipment was being used to make illegal copies of smart cards and, consequently, she cleared Vella of the charges brought against him.

Inspector Joseph Cordina prosecuted.