Husband and wife face pickpocketing charges
First case took place four days after the accused arrived in Malta
A husband and wife were granted bail on Sunday after pleading not guilty to various cases of pickpocketing.
Sandu Marius, 44, and wife Lucica Ivanciv 43, both Romanians, were accused of committing the crimes in Valletta in April and May, stealing a total of under €4,000.
Prosecutors said the police received 22 reports and the couple were seen in four cases on CCTV. The two were arrested at the Upper Barrakka on Friday. Their first alleged theft was on April 26, four days after they arrived in Malta.
Prosecutors objected to a defence plea for bail, arguing that it was not clear why the couple had come to Malta and they faced multiple charges. Witnesses also still had to testify.
The defence replied that the couple had an address in Sliema and the amounts allegedly stolen were not large. The accused posed no risk of approaching potential witnesses since they did not know who they were.
Magistrate Ann-Marie Thake granted bail against a deposit of €2,000 and a personal guarantee of €8,000 each. The couple has to sign at a police station twice a week.
Inspector Jeffrey Rizzo and lawyers Stephen Gulia and Julia Micallef Stafrace from the Attorney General's Office prosecuted.
Lawyers Franco Debono and Adreana Zammit were defence counsel.