Two men have been acquitted of the theft of the equivalent of just over €2.4 million in a hold-up on a cash van in Sta Venera  16 years ago.

Joseph Grech, 49 of Mosta and George Briffa, 35 of Valletta had been accused of involvement in the hold-up on a Group 4 security van in Cannon Road, Sta Venera shortly after it left HSBC Bank.

The van was blocked by a car and emptied of the cash, which was transferred to another van that turned out to have been stolen.

The money was later recovered.

The man who had been driving the Group 4 van is still undergoing procedings.

Grech and Briffa were arrested and arraigned after their DNA was found on balaclavas found with the stolen cash.

The court said it had found insufficient evidence for a conviction.

Dr Joe Giglio  and Dr Kathleen Grima were defence counsel.