Man pleads innocence to convenience shop hold-ups, denied bail

Clint Zammit, 31, has pleaded not guilty to two consecutive hold-ups he allegedly conducted in two separate convenience shops in Sliema and Gzira but has been denied bail due to the serious nature of his charges. 

Zammit was charged with two armed robberies. One allegedly took place on 19 January at The Convenience Shop on Nazju Ellul Street in Gzira.

The man allegedly stole not more than €2,329 while holding the employee inside against his will, threatening him with violence and being in possession of an unlicensed knife. 

The other allegedly took place on 20 January sometime between 8:30am to 9pm at The Convenience Shop on Mrabat Street in Sliema, where he supposedly held two female employees against their will.

The two incidents are not linked to hold-ups in the past weeks that were allegedly conducted by two brothers in various localities.

Zammit was also charged with recidivism and breaching bail conditions. He pleaded not guilty and his defence asked for bail.

The prosecution objected to the request, saying that the accused’s character didn’t provide the prosecution with a guarantee. 

“He also doesn’t have a fixed address. He told us so himself last month. When we searched for him in a particular address, we couldn’t find him and his parents themselves told us that he no longer lived with them in Qormi,” prosecuting inspector Lydon Zammit told the court.

The accused interjected and said that he had been living in Gzira for just two days.

Legal aid lawyer Joe Brincat argued that the presumption of innocence should still be taken into account and the prosecution was condemning him immediately. 

The court denied bail citing the serious nature of the crime as a reason. It also said that the accused had changed his address while he was supposedly fulfilling previous bail conditions without having informed the Police Commissioner and the court. 

He was remanded in police custody.

Inspectors Colin Sheldon, Fabian Fleri and Lydon Zammit prosecuted.

Magistrate Charmaine Galea was presiding magistrate.