Two admit to theft from construction site as third suspect denies involvement

Three men appeared in court on Thursday, charged with stealing construction equipment from a parked truck in Marsa.

Two of the men: 29-year-old Tunisian national Mahmoud Moghrabi from Pieta and Jurgen Cassar, 34, from Qormi, admitted to carrying out the theft, which took place early on 31 August in Troubridge Street in Marsa.

The third man charged, Francesco Loporcaro, a 48-year-old Italian man from Paola, denied the accusations.

Duty Magistrate Yana Micallef Stafrace was told that Moghrabi was the first to be arrested, leading the police to question and eventually arrest the other two men.

On the night of the theft, Moghrabi had used a van to pick up the other two accused before heading to a construction site in Marsa to steal the equipment.

Moghrabi pleaded guilty and was placed on probation for three years, whilst Cassar, who already had a criminal record and was on bail for another offence, was jailed for 13 months and forfeited his bail deposit and personal guarantee.
 

Loporcaro, who was also accused of breaching a conditional discharge, was denied bail.

Moghrabi was represented by lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri. Lawyer Francine Abela defended Cassar and Loporcaro.