A man who suffered facial burns while letting off fireworks from the Presidential Palace's roof during carnival told the police that he was "forced" to do so by carnival coordinator Pierre Cachia.

Prosecuting officer Daryl Borg informed the court this morning that the police were planning to arraign Mr Cachia - a former floor manager at One TV station - in a separate sitting.

Juan Vella, a 24-year-old lighting technician, was arraigned in court this morning charged with letting off petards from atop the Presidential Palace in Valletta without having a licence to do so.

The activity did have a police permit but according to the fireworks code, it is illegal for unlicensed persons to let off fireworks.

Pierre Cachia

Mr Vella is pleading not guilty to the charges brought before him.

Taking the witness stand, police sergeant Alexander Schembri told Magistrate Joe Mifsud that the licensee was a certain Bernard David Cauchi who, however, was not present on site.

The police is also planning to open criminal proceedings against Mr Cauchi.

The accused told the police that he was operating the lighting system since he worked as a technician, adding that he was forced to let off the fireworks by Mr Cachia, Sgt Schembri said. He suffered slight burns, classified as first degree.

Mr Cachia took the witness stand next, and was warned that he could choose not to answer the prosecution's questions because he could incriminate himself.

Insp. Borg asked him whether he was involved in letting off the fireworks. Mr Cachia answered that he did not let them off, prompting Magistrate Joe Mifsud to point out that this was not the question put to him.

Mr Cachia said that Mr Cauchi was responsible, insisting that he did not personally set the accused a task.

"It is not my job to give him instructions," Mr Cachia said. He admitted to providing Mr Vella access to the roof, adding that they entered the Palace together since he obtained the keys.

Asked why the accused needed to go up to the roof, Mr Cachia replied evasively: "to do what needed to be done".

However, once inside they split up, with Mr Cachia saying that he made his way to the opposite side of the Palace "to take pictures".

He did not see the accused let off the petards, Mr Cachia said, insisting that he next saw him when Mr Vella approached him to ask him whether he had "something on his face".

Next to take the witness stand was carnival committee chairman Jason Busuttil, who told the court that he wouldn't have known what was happening because everything was left in the hands of contractors.

At the time of the incident, he was watching the carnival's closing ceremony, he testified, adding that Mr Cauchi was his fireworks supplier and that Mr Cauchi's company looked after issues of insurance and licensing.

Mr Cauchi was called to the witness stand but since the police will be taking steps against him, he chose not to testify.

The case continues. Legal procurator Peter Paul Zammit defended the accused.