Man denied bail after alleged involvement in Fgura restaurant burglary

A man from Zabbar was remanded in custody on Monday after being arraigned in connection with a burglary targeting a fried chicken restaurant in Fgura.

Chef Jehiel Falzon, 30, appeared before magistrate Abigail Critien, charged with theft aggravated by means and time, as well as having caused damage to the outlet in question and recidivism.

The charges relate to a break-in during the night between October 12 and 13, in which €2,400 was stolen from the cash register. Police had arrested Falzon after identifying him from CCTV footage from the outlet in question.

Falzon, who has a number of previous convictions for theft, dating back to 2013, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

His lawyer, Joe Brincat, requested bail, arguing that the defendant had cooperated with the police, to the extent of going to the police station himself when he learned that the police were looking for him. 

Brincat submitted that there was no reason for Fazlon to be remanded in custody and contested the amount stolen, which he said was €360, and not the €2,000 being alleged. 

Police Inspector Gabriel Kitcher, prosecuting together with lawyer Dejan Darmanin from the Office of the Attorney General, informed the court that although Falzon had cooperated with the police, the reason behind the theft was “a rather serious case of synthetic cannabis abuse.”  
The man had a persistent drug abuse problem, explained the police inspector, telling the court that there was little prospect of the defendant not committing another crime if released on bail.

Brincat retorted that the legislator today emphasised treatment, not punishment.

Noting that civilian witnesses were yet to give evidence, the court rejected the bail request at this stage, remarking that his criminal record did not inspire confidence that he would abide by the bail conditions it could impose.