The victim of a hold-up at a Birkirkara mobile phone shop in 2009 yesterday identified 29-year-old Matthew Mizzi from Cospicua as the person who had helped the robber escape in a car.

Mr Mizzi is charged with being an accomplice in the case of attempted murder and armed robbery over which another man, Jonathan Coleiro, is already serving a 15-year jail term.

Charles Zammit, who at the time owned Seven Mobiles in Psaila Street, told a court yesterday that he chased Mr Coleiro down the street as he ran away with three mobile phones and a laptop.

Mr Coleiro opened fire on him and hit him, slightly injuring him, Mr Zammit said, but added that he not give up until he saw the robber escape in a car allegedly driven by the accused.

“When I was hit, I barely felt anything apart from a pinch in my arm, and this made me even more resolute to catch him,” Mr Zammit testified when asked if he felt he had put his life at risk.

The car, he said, was a three-door Hyundai Accent with tinted glass which was waiting across the road. It sped away but he memorised its registration number.

Mr Zammit was presented with a number of photos taken during a police identification parade and said a photo of the accused corres-ponded with the face of the man who was waiting in the Hyundai.

Mr Mizzi is also accused of being in possession of a firearm, filing a false police report and driving the car without a licence.

Lawyers Elaine Mercieca and Ann Marie Cutajar from the Attorney General’s Office are leading the prosecution, while Michael Schiriha is defence counsel.

The trial, which is being presided over by Mr Justice Antonio Mizzi, continues this morning, when the accused will be the last person to take the witness stand.