A sixth man allegedly involved in a daylight abduction has been charged with that crime, in a separate arraignment held one day after he was released from hospital.
Luke John Milton, 25 and from Rabat, is pleading not guilty to charges that include abduction, holding a victim against his will, causing slight injuries, theft, criminal conspiracy and breaching bail conditions.
Milton and five others are alleged to have bundled Carlos Schembri into a van, beaten and threatened him. Schembri eventually managed to escape from the van when it stopped for fuel in Fgura and made it to a police station.
Christian Borg, 28, from Swieqi, Burton Azzopardi, 20, from Cospicua, Thorne Mangion, 27, from Qormi, Jeremy Borg, 20, from Qormi and Tyson Grech, 26, from Senglea, are also pleading not guilty to the crime.
The police originally intended to charge Milton together with his other co-accused, but had to change plans after Milton complained of pain in a swollen hand just hours before his arraignment.
Milton was subsequently admitted to hospital and held there for several days. He was discharged on Tuesday and placed back in police custody shortly after that.
During his arraignment on Wednesday, a court heard that Milton was left in hospital unguarded and with no restrictions on his mobility or use of his phone. But there was no sign that Milton had spoken to Schembri, the alleged victim, in any way.
Inspector Roderick Attard said Milton had cooperated and spoken to investigators in the presence of a lawyer. Officers had searched his home and found nothing of note.
Milton’s lawyers sought to argue that his arrest was invalid, but their arguments were shot down by the court.
Defence lawyers also requested bail for their client, noting that Milton had not tried to flee while in hospital. Both the victim and civilian witnesses in the abduction case have already testified and all the other co-accused, bar one, have been granted bail, Milton’s defence team argued.
Prosecutors, on the other hand, argued that Milton had already breached bail conditions in another case he faces related to cryptocurrency theft and argued that he should not be allowed out until civilian witnesses have confirmed what they testified in the case concerning his co-accused. Some of those witnesses had across as “rather hostile”, the prosection said.
Magistrate Charmaine Galea decided to grant Milton bail against a €3,000 deposit and €5,000 personal guarantee. Milton must abide by an 11pm to 6am curfew and sign a bail book twice a week. He was also instructed not to approach Schembri or his family.
Milton was represented by lawyers Stefano Filletti and Matthew Xuereb.
Inspectors Roderick Attard and Sarah Kathleen Zerafa together with attorney general lawyer Karl Muscat prosecuted.