A man facing charges over an armed robbery of a Tigné jewellery store five years ago appeared in court on Wednesday to face charges related to a prison fight. 

Begtash Muka, a 31-year-old Albanian national, was granted bail in December 2020 while undergoing proceedings related to a massive robbery of the Diamonds International store at Pjazza Tigné, allegedly carried out together with his brother, Daniel, who also faces murder charges in an unrelated case.

But before being granted bail, Begtask Muka was allegedly involved in a violent clash with another inmate inside the Corradino Correctional Facility on January 26, 2020. 

Four CCF officials testified about that incident on Wednesday, each recalling the “commotion” that broke out in the lower area inside one of the prison divisions. 

One of the officers said that he first spotted the “confusion” on the monitors of the security cameras and immediately rushed downstairs.

But by the time he got there, the fight was over.

Other inmates had stepped in to break up the clash, which appeared to have involved Muka and another inmate, Silvan Cilia, who ended up with a blood-smeared face. 

Muka was locked up back in his cell while the other inmate was accompanied to the prison’s medical clinic to be treated for the injuries suffered. 

Another witness said that he had first noticed the confusion through a perspex screen while in the guardroom on the ground floor. He too had rushed in, saying that there were three people involved in the scuffle. 

When asked about the third person, the witness said that he did not recall his name. 

Another official recalled that when the “pandemonium broke out” he and his colleagues rushed to the scene, finding Cilia with blood on his face. 

“You said that there were many inmates. Why did you focus on those two?” asked Muka’s lawyer Daniel Attard. 

“Because you could sense that there was something between those two,” replied the officer. 

The last witness who had also intervened after sensing the commotion on the other side of the division, said that the fight was over when he got there. 

The injured inmate was getting back on his feet, blood on his face. 

While escorting the man to the medical room, he asked the officer, “did you see them?"

“So could there have been more than one aggressor?” asked the defence.

“Could be,” replied the witness. 

But the officer had told the alleged victim that by the time he reached the scene, the fight was over. 

The case continues in January.

Inspector Sarah Zerafa is prosecuting. Lawyer Daniel Attard is defence counsel.