Il-Quws fired gunshots over money dispute, court hears

Melvin Debono ‘il-Quws’ appeared in court on Tuesday afternoon after his arrest over an altercation in which a gun was allegedly fired.

He was charged with a plethora of offences, including maliciously discharging a lethal device, illegal weapon possession and involuntarily causing damage to third party property.

Debono was also accused of causing others fear to violence would be used against them, threatening and insulting a third party through the use of electronic devices.

Charges further included illegal possession of cocaine, recidivism, breaching public order and breaching bail conditions.

Following reports of the incident in Paola, the accused was identified as Melvin Debono, also known as il-Quws, who was easily identified due to his extensive criminal record.

Inspector Gabriel Kitcher explained civilians had informed the Paola police station that they heard several gunshots. The man involved in the argument with Debono, who cannot be named due to court order, gave his version of events to the police.

Before the incident, the man was speaking on the phone with Debono and a dispute about a sum of money had arisen. Debono asked him to come to his residence to discuss the matter further. According to the man, upon arriving, Debono was holding a pistol and he fired shots into the road. After the police arrived on site, he initially refused to open the door and come out. A police inspector eventually managed to convince him to give up himself.

Video footage taken by the man’s girlfriend showed Melvin Debono waving the pistol around. A recording of the phone call was also heard by police. The accused was heard saying “I’ll riddle your children with bullet holes”.

In court, the suspect stated his legal rights were not read to him during his arrest, as required by law. Defence counsel Franco Debono demanded to know the identity of the person who arrested him.

As he pointed out, under the law, if a person is not informed of their legal rights, the arrest is invalid. He further stated that his client was not even told he was under arrest nor the reasons for it.

At this stage, the sitting was suspended to wait for the police inspector involved in Debono’s arrest to arrive in court.

Later, inspector Mark Mercieca testified that at exactly, 10:15 pm, he informed Debono of his arrest and also gave him his legal rights. After Mercieca stepped down from the stand, Franco Debono insisted he did not mention giving Melvin Debono the reasons for his arrest. Mercieca reaffirmed that he did so and said that Melvin was distracted and agitated and was not paying attention to what he was saying.

After further bickering, the court was ultimately convinced that the arrest was valid.

No request for bail was made.

A protection order of three years was issued in favour of the victim, as well as for the two children of the man involved, following threats allegedly made against them by Debono.

At first Debono did not want to sign the protection order, but eventually signed it after he was warned of the consequences of ignoring a court order. 

Earlier this year in February, Il-Quws caused a high-speed crash while fleeing the police and had also assaulted his girlfriend in public just hours earlier. After this incident, he was granted bail for the sixth time by the court.

In January, he was accused of breaching his curfew, one of his bail conditions.

Inspector Gabriel Kitcher prosecuted.

Defence counsel Franco Debono, Marion Camilleri and Anthea Bonnici Zammit appeared for Melvin Debono.

Lawyer Francesca Zarb appeared parte civile.   

Magistrate Gabriella Vella presided over the court.