Wrong man remanded in custody over hold-up

A 27-year-old man remanded in custody over the Birkirkara hold-up turned out to be the wrong suspect.

Miscommunication between police departments led to the mistaken arraignment of Darryl Luke Borg who on Wednesday was remanded in custody over the hold-up at The Convenience Shop in Birkirkara.

Borg's defense lawyers, Joseph Gatt and David Camilleri, will be filing an urgent request for his immediate release. He had also denied the charges.

In today's arraignment, Inspector Elton Taliana said only one man had been involved in the holdup and was recognised from CCTV footage. Roderick Grech, 22 of Birkirkara, was accused of committing the hold-up. Grech admitted and also handed in a balaclava and a toy gun used for the hold-up.

Grech's lawyer, Janica Camilleri requested clemency as the offender was still young and had amassed substantial gambling debts.

Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit handed down a 12-month jail term suspended for two years and placed the youth under a supervision order.

The accused was ordered to return the stolen money.