An aircraft loader has been condemned to a suspended jail term after a court found him guilty of having stolen items from suitcases at Malta International Airport.
Frankie Farrugia, 28 of Ghaxaq was convicted of stealing several items in January 2008 and before.
Mark Magro, 33 of Luqa, was acquitted of similar charges.
The court was told that the MIA security services manager was informed that passengers on a Malta-Luton flight had complained that several objects were missing from their suitcases.
The police were informed, and a review of CCT footage in the baggage handling room revealed a man, Kirsten Falzon, who worked as a loader, stealing a bottle of perfume from a suitcase.
When he was interrogated, Mr Falzon aid he had just started working as a loader and that two days previously he had been approached by Frankie Farrugia, who told him to get him a bottle of perfume from one of the suitcases.
Mr Falzon told the police that when he went near the aircraft hold he saw Frankie Farrugia and Mark Magro loading the suitcases into the aircraft's hold. He saw Mr Farrugia open suitcases which were not locked and rummage through them, taking cameras and some money.
The three men later went to the loaders' rest room where Mr Falzon said he saw Mr Magro and Mr Farrugia divide the stolen goods between them. Mr Falzon said that Mr Farrugia gave him two cameras in order to keep his mouth shut.
Mr Falzon told the police that he had given the bottle of perfume he had stolen to Mr Farrugia, but two days later Mr Farrugia told him he did not like it and asked him to get another one, which he did.
In handing down judgement, Magistrate Audrey Demicoli said she had to proceed with caution because Mr Falzon had been charged and admitted similar charges as Mr Farrugia and Mr Magro.
She noted that in his testimony Mr Falzon only mentioned Mr Farrugia as the person who was opening the suitcases, and there was no doubt that he had been doing so. Mr Falzon, however, never specifically said that he saw Mr Magro stealing.
She therefore found Mr Farrugia guilty but there was insufficient evidence to prove Mr Magro's guilt.
The magistrate condemned Mr Farrugia to a year's imprsionment suspended for two years.
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