Alfred Bugeja, 52, also known as Il-Porporina, was this morning remanded in custody at Mt Carmel Hospital after pleading not guilty to having stolen cash from a lotto receiver in Burmarrad on Saturday evening. He was also accused of relapsing.

Anthony Zammit, known as Is-Sej, was separately charged with the same incident as well as relapsing.

They are alleged to have stolen two bags containing cash from the lotto receiver's car. Their haul was under €2,329.

Mr Zammit was granted bail against a personal guarantee of €1,000.

The court took into consideration that Mr Bugeja has another two pending cases and is out on bail for both of them.

In a separate case, Dexter Bezzina, 21, of Valletta this morning pleaded guilty to trafficking in ecstasy, possession of 71 ecstasy pills and vandalising a show window of The Gram Jewellery in Valletta.

Magistrate Joseph Apap Bologna remanded him in custody until judgement later on this week.