Shopkeeper breaks down in court whilst testifying in hold-up case

Shopkeeper recounts how she was held up at gunpoint by two masked robbers

A San Gwann shopkeeper broke down in tears today as she told a court of her terror at finding herself being held up at gunpoint by two masked robbers who demanded her to hand them the day's takings.

Magistrate Joe Mifsud had to repeatedly reassure the witness, Pamela Sant, as she gave her evidence in the case against Kane Grima, 20, Perrie Daniel Amarni Sciberras, 27, and Josef Galea, 19, all of whom are accused of carrying out a string of armed robberies targeting convenience stores. The three young men from Gzira had been remanded in custody after they were arrested two weeks ago, and charged in connection with five armed robberies committed in the past three months.

The trio are thought to have stolen over €7,500 in cash, cigarettes and mobile phone top-up cards in a string of hold-ups.

The woman recalled that two balaclava-clad men had entered the shop at around 9.10pm on 2 March while she was counting the days takings. The taller of the two was toting a silver-coloured pistol while the other stuffed the loot into a bag.

Sant was one of a series of witnesses who testified today. From these testimonies, a modus operandi had emerged: two of the accused would go into a shop near closing time, balaclava or "black carnival masks" hiding their faces. The tallest robber would be armed and would point the pistol at employees, ordering them to hand over money from the till. The accomplice would either be acting as a lookout or holding the bag into which the takings would be thrown. A third accomplice, the driver of the getaway car, would be waiting outside in a Fiat.

Another witness, Carmel Catania, had been manning the till at his daughter's convenience store in Gzira on February 11 at around 9.30pm when two masked men entered the store, pointed a pistol at him and demanded money.

He recalled attempting to figure out whether the firearm, which he said was a silver-grey pistol, possibly of small calibre, was real or not. Catania told the court that he had also gazed into their eyes in the hope of recognising them, but could not.

"As the second one moved to leave the shop, I thought to myself: 'This is my chance', and I pushed him, throwing him off balance," Catania said. He had been surprised at the robber's slight build and lack of physical strength, saying that this had led him to be unsure of whether the robber was a young man or a young woman.

The shopkeeper had then picked up a six pack of plastic water bottles, flinging it at the escaping man, but had missed. Passers-by had attempted to chase the fleeing robber.

Grima and Amarni Sciberras are also charged with stealing €1943 and €600 worth of mobile top up cards and conspiracy to carry out the heist, during which three men were held against their will.

Grima and Galea are facing separate charges for stealing €900 from a Gzira convenience store on January 6th ; stealing €2,868 during an armed hold-up from another Gzira convenience store on 11 February; the armed robbery of a San Gwann lotto booth on the 19th of February; and with stealing number plates from parked cars in San Gwann and Mriehel.

Grima alone is also charged with illegal possession of a pistol.

As today's sitting drew to a close, the defendants' lawyer requested bail, as their clients had been remanded in custody since the 18th of March. The court, however, did not release the men from custody, pointing out that its duty was to ensure that a balance was reached between the protection of society and the accused's rights.

Magistrate Mifsud, however, placed the accused men under probation whilst proceedings were underway in order to assist them in overcoming any obstacles to their reintegration into society.

Inspectors Jonathan Ransley and Carlos Cordina prosecuted, whilst lawyers Kathleen Grima, Franco Debono, Amadeus Cachia and Andrew Sciberras were defence counsel.