Two men who were involved in a string of armed hold-ups at convenience shops and a lotto office five years ago were spared jail and afforded a “last chance to reform” on Monday while an alleged accomplice was cleared.  

Kane Grima, Pierre Sciberras and Josef Galea were jointly accused of involvement in five armed robberies between January and March 2016, targeting four convenience shops and a lotto booth around Gzira, Msida and San Ġwann.

Some €900 in cash were taken during the first robbery when two hooded men walked into a Gzira shop, one of them pointing a pistol and ordering the shop assistant to hand over the cash.

As the victim tipped the contents of the cash drawer into a plastic bag held open by the thief, the other man flipped over the door sign from ‘OPEN’ to ‘CLOSED’ whilst keeping a lookout for passers by.

A month later, another Gzira shopkeeper faced a similar fate when confronted by two hooded and armed men who demanded all the money from the till.

As the duo fled from the shop with some €2868 in cash, the victim shoved the shorter thief, who stumbled and fell but still managed to get away.

A week after that incident, a lotto receiver at a San Gwann lotto office was approached by a man wearing a black carnival mask. Armed with a pistol, he ordered the victim to hand over all the cash, banknotes and coins, totalling €1,021.50.

Days later, the thieves made off with some €1400 in cash and 22 cigarette packets from a San Ġwann store. Two balaclava-clad men had walked into the shop, one of them holding a pistol and ordering the female shop assistant to empty the cash drawer, firing instructions in Maltese.

Six days later two of the gang were involved in another armed robbery, stealing close to €2000 in cash and some 600 mobile top-up cards from another Msida store.

Arrested by a police patrol

Grima and Sciberras were arrested close to a convenience store after their “very suspicious” driving maneuvers caught the attention of a police patrol which gave chase after confirming that the car had false registration plates.

The third suspect was arrested later after one of the other two mentioned him during interrogation as an accomplice.

Some 89 witnesses testified in the proceedings against the trio.

When delivering judgment, Magistrate Joseph Mifsud concluded that there was no evidence whatsoever against Galea, except for the co-accused's own statements. He thus cleared him of all charges.

As for Grima and Sciberras, the court pointed out various factors which clearly linked the men to the robberies.

The pistol identified by all the victims was found close by the spot where the two were arrested, with Grima’s fingerprints on the weapon.

Balaclavas and a cigarette butt also retrieved nearby, bore DNA traces matching the accused’s genetic profiles.

The two were arrested in a vehicle matching eyewitnesses’ descriptions of the getaway car.

However, after hearing the testimony of a Caritas representative and probation officers, the court noted that Grima had finally sought help to kick his drug habit and now led a stable family life, registering “considerable progress” and showing respect towards his superiors.

As for Sciberras, the court heard how he had been addicted to cannabis since his early teens but had later resorted to the drug for ‘self-medication.’

When all was considered and after reflecting at length on the appropriate punishment, the court decided to give the two men “a last chance,” pointing out that they had also spent a long time under preventive custody.

They had both landed in the “drug trap” and while Grima was back on the right path, Sciberras needed help to tackle his health problems, and jail would only add to his burdens, observed Magistrate Mifsud.

Whilst declaring them guilty the court condemned Grima to a 2-year jail term suspended for four years and placed Sciberras under a 3-year Probation Order.

Each has to refund €4,424 to the victims within three years and pay €3572 by way of court expert expenses.

Inspector Jonathan Ransley prosecuted.

Lawyers Franco Debono, Marion Camilleri, Kathleen Calleja Grima and Lennox Vella were defence counsel.