A man has had a third case of illegal gambling thrown out by a court after the incorrect date of a police search appeared on the charge sheet.

Raymond Schembri, 61, was consequently acquitted of charges of running an unlicensed casino. Previously, he was acquitted of two separate illegal gambling cases as the wrong addresses were listed. 

In this latest case, Schembri was accused of running an unlicensed casino at Monalisa Bar in Triq it-Tiġrija, Mosta, 20 years ago.

A police search of the bar on December 7, 2004, found that gambling was taking place at the bar without the necessary licences. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The judgment noted that what the police observed during their search was inadmissible as the incorrect date was written, and this was never amended.

According to the charge sheet, the police carried out a search of the bar on December 6, 2004, when in reality the search was conducted on December 7, 2004.

The court also chose to discard the testimony Schembri gave during the police interrogation following the search, as he was not given access to legal assistance.

In light of this, the court pronounced an acquittal.

The judgment was handed down by Magistrate Elaine Rizzo, however, she only took over the case recently.

Superintendent Alexandra Mamo and inspector Raymond Aquilina prosecuted. Lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri represented the accused.

In February 2024, Schembri was cleared of a previous charge of illegal gambling in 2007, as the address cited on his charge sheet did not match what the witnesses had testified.

The following month, charges against Schembri for operating an unlicensed casino from a garage in Marsa in 2011 were also dismissed as the wrong address appeared on the charge sheet.