Longer charge sheet in fuel theft case

Five men facing charges of theft from Enemalta's fuel depot yesterday saw another charge added to the list.

Emanuel Borg, 60, Joseph Farrugia, 52, Michael Attard, 43 and Carmel Gatt, 43, all Enemalta employees, stand charged with allowing bowsers to fill up with the corporation's fuel, while 18-year-old Sean Abela, of Zejtun, a bowser driver, is accused of theft of fuel from Enemalta's Has Saptan stores.

The prosecution yesterday added another charge of evasion of VAT and duty amounting to Lm15,000.

The charge was added during the start of the compilation of evidence, where the principal witness was Enemalta's chief executive Anthony Rizzo.

Mr Rizzo said it was an anonymous telephone call informing Enemalta that a theft was about to take place that sparked off investigations. The police were informed and after a surveillance operation, the accused were arrested.

The accused, who are pleading not guilty, were yesterday granted bail against a personal guarantee of Lm5,000.

Police Inspectors Raymond Cassar and Geoffrey Azzopardi prosecuted.

Lawyers Jason Azzopardi, Mathew Brincat, Edward Gatt and Gianella Caruana Curran are defence counsel.