A case about alleged theft of electricity which has been in court since 1997 continued today, with a magistrate ruling that although the accused was not notified to appear in court for almost five years, the charges were not time barred.

Joseph Debono is accused of stealing electricity from Zaro Confectionery in Msida between December 1989 and February 1994. The value was estimated at some €1,463.

The defence argued that since Mr Debono had not received a summons to appear in court for eight or nine years, the case had become time-barred.

The prosecution argued that 10 years had to go by for the case to be extinguished.

Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras said that the longest time that the accused was not notified was four years and 11 months and the court therefore should continue.  

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