The owner of a bunkering company said today that three bowsers which he had filled with €75,000 of diesel were emptied by unknown persons the following day.

Mark Cassar, owner of Cassar Fuels, was testifying in the compilation of evidence against Peter Paul Attard, Jesmond Sghendo and Charles Chircop, who are accused of stealing the diesel.

The case took place in October 2008.

Mr Cassar testified that his son had gone to their garage and found three of their bowsers outside the building, when they would normally have been inside.

They found that the bowsers had been emptied by somebody who clearly knew how to operate bowsers. The bowsers had been filled a day before. One had 63,000 litres of diesel and the others had 23,000 litres each.

There was no sign of a break-in at the garage.

The witness said he had seen one of the accused, Mr Attard, in the garage, some three weeks previously.

The case continues.