A delivery man was driving his van in Swieqi when he was stopped by two vehicles, held at gun-point and bound before thieves took off with some Lm15,000 worth of cigarettes he had been transporting, a court heard yesterday.
Magistrate Antonio Mizzi heard Police Inspector Silvio Valletta give an overview of the investigations that led to the arrest of Otis Cassar.
Mr Cassar, 35, of Hamrun is pleading not guilty to involvement in a hold-up on a van belonging to the company NM Arrigo in Swieqi on November 8.
Inspector Valletta said that on November 8 he was informed that there had been a hold up in Swieqi. When he went on the scene he spoke to David Grech, a delivery man with NM Arrigo who explained that he was driving when he was stopped by a blue van and a red car.
A man alighted from the red car, a Mazda 121, went up to him and pointed a gun at his head. Mr Grech was bound at the wrists with tie clips and moved to the back of his van. His aggressor then went behind the wheel of the delivery van and manoeuvred it so that it was parked back to back with the blue van. Some 25 boxes of cigarettes, worth about Lm15,000, were then transferred from the delivery van into the blue van. Once that was done the blue van and the red car drove off.
An eyewitness took note of the registration plates of the blue van and of the car. The eyewitness then freed Mr Grech.
Police investigations indicated that the blue van belonged to Mr Cassar's sister. That night, Mr Cassar was arrested and taken to the police headquarters but, having been found drunk, he was questioned the following morning. He denied his involvement in the hold-up.
During an identification parade both Mr Grech and the eyewitness recognised Mr Cassar as the man who was driving the blue van.
Investigations revealed that the two robbers were not hooded and a certain Emanuel Farrugia, who was undergoing separate court proceedings, had been driving the red car, Mr Valletta said.
The case continues.
Police Inspectors Valletta and Josric Mifsud prosecuted.
Lawyer Emmanuel Mallia appeared for Mr Cassar.