Three men were this afternoon sentenced to a two-year jail term suspended for four after they pleaded guilty to stealing €88,000 worth of cigarettes from Antonio Piscopo wines and spirits in Paola, where they used to work.
Victor Scerri, 47 and his 22-year-old son Manuel, both of Cospicua and Emanuel Meilak 21, of Kalkara were also ordered to pay back €29,000 each within six months.
Taking the witness stand, employer Tarcisio Piscopo told Magistrate Edwina Grima that the cigarettes were whittled away between Feb 1, 2012 and May.
Mr Meilak said he will be paying up on Monday while the Scerris were likely to seek an extension to the six-month period.