Two men and a woman were remanded in custody after denying their involvement in a daytime robbery at the home of an 80-year-old wheelchair user.

Antoine Galea, a 42-year-old plasterer from Żejtun, Ronald Gerada, a 41-year-old handyman in community service and Donna Borg, 25, without a fixed address and unemployed, jointly pleaded not guilty to the robbery.

Prosecuting inspectors Fabian Fleri and Lydon Zammit said that news had reached the police through an anonymous tip-off about the violent theft which had allegedly taken place on September 10 at around noon at the victim’s Birżebbuġa home.

Investigations had kicked off and the elderly victim had recounted his alleged ordeal to the police.

A man and a woman, later identified as two of the accused, had allegedly entered the residence, stealing some €700 and threatening their vulnerable victim with dire repercussions if he were to call in the police.

Following the incident, the man had been too scared to file a report, having allegedly been told by the robbers that they would burn down his house and beat him up if he were to spill the beans. 

The prosecution explained that two of the accused, Ms Borg and Mr Galea, had been caught on CCTV footage entering and then running out of the residence, while the third suspect, driving a vehicle, allegedly lurked in the vicinity of the old man’s home.
 
The trio were jointly charged with the aggravated theft as well as relapsing. The woman was separately charged with violating a probation order dating back to almost three years ago. Each of the other co-accused was charged with breaching bail conditions. 

A request for bail was strongly objected to on account of the serious nature of the crime, the vulnerability of the alleged victim and the fact that the old man was the sole eyewitness who could testify about what had actually happened inside his home on that fateful day.

The man’s lack of mobility rendered him even more vulnerable, stressed Inspector Zammit, pointing out that the victim had been unable to defend himself against the intruders. 

Besides, all three suspects were untrustworthy, added the inspector. 

Defence lawyers Franco Debono and Amadeus Cachia, assisting the two male suspects, countered that a just balance could be attained by granting bail under strict conditions including supervision.

Defence lawyer Martin Fenech, argued that the woman used to help out with housework at the victim’s home. “She didn’t go to steal but to help.”

After hearing submissions by both parties the court, presided over by magistrate Doreen Clarke, turned down the request for bail.