Former fugitive Fabio Psaila, dubbed “the general” for his alleged part in a criminal gang, has been granted bail after spending some 19 months on remand over charges of attempted robbery and trying to kill two policemen.
He is pleading not guilty to the attempted murder of the two officers during a failed heist on the HSBC Qormi headquarters in June 2010, in which a shoot-out took place.
Mr Psaila, 38, of Sta Venera, had disappeared straight after his alleged part in another hold-up, this time on a jeweller and his son in Attard the following December. The police had hunted for him for nearly a month before he turned himself in on Boxing Day.
His name had emerged in the testimony of Police Constable 99, Mario Portelli, during the compilation of evidence against former police inspector and lawyer David Gatt, who is charged with masterminding at least three hold-ups – including the one at HSBC – and advising criminals on a fourth.
PC Portelli had testified that Mr Psaila formed part of Mr Gatt’s criminal gang and that he was considered to be the gang’s “general”.
The police constable also revealed the police had been trying to bide time before arresting Dr Gatt in a bid to apprehend Mr Psaila.
PC Portelli claimed he was playing a double game with Dr Gatt, who, he said, had asked him to seek medical help for Mr Psaila after he was wounded in the shoot-out.
In pleading for bail, Mr Psaila’s lawyer, Arthur Azzopardi, said PC Portelli’s testimony was not credible, especially when considering he had not been believed by a magistrate after giving evidence in a related case.
Most of his client’s convictions were related to failure to pay child support and not to any serious crimes, the lawyer said.
Dr Azzopardi asked why his client was being discriminated against when other well-known criminals, who had pending cases far worse than Mr Psaila’s, had been granted bail.
He also highlighted the fact that in another pending case Mr Psaila had been granted bail by the highest court in the land and that in itself showed some guarantee that he was worthy of receiving bail.
Magistrate Audrey Demicoli granted him bail against a deposit of €5,000 and a personal guarantee of €10,000.
The case continues.