Birkirkara man stole TV and DVD player ‘as security’ for €60 debt, court told

A break-in and theft over a €60 debt has landed a former prison inmate in police custody.

Anthony Borg, 38, from Birkirkara, was arraigned before magistrate Gabriella Vella earlier today, accused of aggravated theft and causing criminal damage to his next-door neighbour’s house.

Inspector Melvin Zammit told the court that the police had been informed of a break-in in Senglea on 4 July, in which a television and a DVD player were taken. Officers at the scene found signs of forced entry and the occupier’s belongings in disarray, he said.

The accused was identified from CCTV, and a photograph was taken by a neighbour.

Borg, who is the son of a notorious criminal, Pietru l-Hasi, pleaded not guilty to the charges. His lawyer, David Gatt, requested bail.

The lawyer summoned inspector Zammit to the stand and asked him about the victim, Axel Vella. “He has some cases with the police,” replied the inspector. Both Vella and his mother filed the police report leading to today’s charges, he added.

Vella is well known to the police and has a string of previous criminal cases against him.

The prosecution objected to bail, pointing out that both Axel Vella and his mother were yet to testify, and they lived next door to the accused.

Borg’s lawyer argued that it was a case of “ragion fattasi” – taking the law into one’s own hands. The case was over a TV worth €200, he said. Vella owed Borg €60, and Borg had taken the TV “as security” for the debt’s repayment.

The accused suffered from chronic anger management issues caused by his upbringing, said the lawyer. “It would be almost Kamikaze for him to re-offend. The court is right to say it is not the right stage to raise ragion fattasi, but if the court is going to remand him in custody…he has already spent nine years in prison. The court has imposed surprise drug tests on him. If he is remanded in custody, I feel it would be contrary to everything done by the legislator and the courts.”

Having heard submissions on bail, the court, noting that the alleged victims are neighbours of the accused, said there was a real fear of him tampering with evidence until they testify. Bail was denied until they gave their evidence before a court.