Bobby Yves Calì and Martin DeBono have stepped down from their posts as councillors representing the PN and the PL on Sliema local council but will stay on as independent councillors.

Their resignation was announced  this morning in the wake of a news story in The Times that the police have filed criminal charges against them over the use of council laptops.

The PN said Mr Cali' was resigning from the PN  so that he could defend his case without in any way harming the party.

Mr DeBono has stepped down for the same reason.

Mr Cali's decision means that the PN has now lost its majority in Sliema. It has four councillors and there are now five independents (including Cyrus Engerer who resigned from the PN recently). The PL now has two councillors.

Mr Calì and Mr DeBono were arrested and questioned in January over suspicious behaviour regarding two council laptops.

In April they both claimed they had been told by the police that they were being let off the hook, a claim the police adamantly denied.

When asked for an update on the case, the police’s media unit, CMRU, said: “Please note that all charges have been filed in court and are now sub-judice.”

It is understood the charges were filed last month. When asked for the charge sheet, the police said: “Please note that such information can be legally obtained from the Law Courts.” The Times sought to obtain the charge sheet from the courts but was unsuccessful.

When contacted (yesterday) Mr DeBono did not confirm or deny having received the charges, saying he did not want to comment for the time being. Mr Calì could not be contacted this week. It is, therefore, not clear exactly what they have been charged with.

According to various minutes of Sliema council meetings, the problems began during a meeting of the council with its accountant last September when Mr Calì was present but Mr Debono was excused.

When asked about two invoices for computer hardware and software, Mr Calì had remained silent but the next day he returned the laptops without hard disks or power supply.

According to the minutes, at one point the accountant noted there were two invoices for computer hardware and software among other purchases that had increased the council’s expenditure.

Labour councillor Nicolai Gauci wanted to know where the laptops were and mayor Joanna Gonzi asked the executive secretary to check with former mayor Nikki Dimech (who was absent) and council employee Althea Borg, as well as the shop owner who supplied the computers.

The minutes indicate all the councillors agreed and that Mr Calì did not say anything regarding the laptops. This happened at the same time he was making headlines over comments he made on MP Robert Arrigo, backing up Mr Dimech’s claims of interference into council affairs by Mr Arrigo.

The issue was raised again at another meeting, on October 7, attended by both Mr Debono and Mr Calì. The executive secretary said she did not have to write to Mr Dimech, Ms Borg or the shop owner who sold the computers because the laptops had been returned on September 30, a day after the meeting when they had first been mentioned. She said Mr Calì had returned the two Apple laptops but pointed out the power supply and hard disks were missing.

The minutes then record Mr Debono saying he was using his laptop for the residential parking zones project and Mr Calì was using his to produce a magazine for the council. Mr DeBono said the hard disks were not returned because they had been bought by the councillors themselves.

Councillor Sandra Camilleri pointed out that, despite being present at the other meeting, Mr Calì had not said anything about the laptops. The minutes do not indicate any reaction from Mr Calì.

After they were arrested, Mr DeBono said the police strip-searched him, forcing him to go completely naked, while Mr Calì was allowed to keep his underwear on.

They had been arrested on the same day as another three councillors: Mr Dimech and Patrick Pace from the Sliema council and St Julians councillor Raymond Cachia. It is understood they were questioned by the fraud squad.

Mr Dimech is already facing court charges of bribery.