A man found guilty of having assisted two brothers in the lead-up to an armed robbery at the Diamonds International Tigne’ store in 2017, landed in fresh trouble after refusing to testify against them. 

Artan Coku, a 30-year-old Albanian national currently living at the Safi detention centre, was handed a four-year effective jail term in February after being found guilty of involvement in the conspiracy that led to the violent robbery. 

Coku’s role was to scout the Tigne’ area where the jewellery store was located, understand the general layout of the place, and also make sure that the shop was open on the day of the planned heist. 

That day, two masked and armed thieves entered into the shop, ordering the shop assistant to hand over jewellery. 

However, the assistant refused, a scuffle ensued and both the shop attendant as well as a security guard were injured.

The thieves smashed a number of display windows, making off with thousands of euro worth of jewellery.

A few days later, Daniel Muka, was arraigned as one of the suspects, pleading not guilty to the aggravated theft.

Coku was arraigned some weeks later. 

Begtash Muka was charged over the massive jewellery heist after DNA tests allegedly linked him to the case. 

He had been on the police wanted list since the armed robbery and was arrested in November 2018 after being spotted by soldiers while trying to scale a fence to enter the Safi Barracks. 

He was carrying a firearm at the time and allegedly pointed it at the officers before he was wrestled to the ground. 

While proceedings against the Muka brothers continue separately, those against Coku were concluded last month upon delivery of judgment by a Magistrates’ Court, presided over by Yana Micallef Stafrace.

He was condemned to a four-year effective jail term less the time spent under preventive custody.

No appeal was filed.

Since the judgment was final, Coku was a competent and compellable witness in terms of the law. 

Yet when he was due to testify this week against Daniel Muka, he refused to do so. 

On Thursday, he was summoned before another court to testify against Begtash Muka. 

But again the reluctant witness refused to testify. 

The court, presided over by Magistrate Rachel Montebello, ordered his re-arrest.

On Friday morning, Coku was arraigned, pleading guilty to the solitary charge of failing to testify against both his alleged accomplices in the holdup. 

The accused was remanded in custody at the detention centre.

Judgment is expected later this month. 

Superintendent James Grech prosecuted.