Two men who were arrested after a high-speed car chase following an armed robbery at a Ta’ l-Ibraġ supermarket on Tuesday were arraigned yesterday and remanded in custody after pleading not guilty.

Manwel Ciappara, 27, from Birkirkara and Jesmond Portelli, also 27, from Żabbar, were stopped by a police mobile squad car that rammed their vehicle, forcing it against a boundary wall of a villa in Naxxar.

Two men wearing hoods and brandishing knives held up Greens supermarket at about 4 p.m. on Tuesday and then made their getaway in a small white car. They dropped €2,250 along the way as they drove along the Coast Road in the direction of Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq, with the outlet owner in hot pursuit.

At one point the owner lost sight of them but a mobile squad on patrol in the area spotted them, gave chase and stopped the car in Naxxar.

Defence lawyer Adrian Camilleri requested bail for his client, informing Magistrate Neville Camilleri that Mr Portelli was able to meet all bail conditions.

Mr Portelli said he had not one but two addresses where he could live so that the police could find him if they wanted him.

Mr Ciappara did not ask for bail.

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