A man who allegedly stole a jigger and other tools from a Rabat construction site on Tuesday was denied bail upon his arraignment on Thursday.

Emad Khalifa Beleed Zweitt, a 49-year-old Libyan national living at Dingli, was taken into custody after turning up at a local police station to sign the bail book in relation to separate criminal proceedings. 

Prosecuting inspector Stacy Attard explained how on Tuesday afternoon, a construction worker had filmed a person making off with a jigger and other tools from the building site.

That mobile phone footage was subsequently handed over to the police.

When the accused turned up at the police station to keep his regular appointment with the bail book, he was identified as the alleged suspect in that footage. 

At the arraignment, he pleaded not guilty to the theft, as well as to violating private property rights and breaching previous bail conditions. 

A request for bail was strongly objected to in view of the serious nature of the charges, the fact that civilian witnesses are still to testify and also because he is not deemed sufficiently trustworthy.

The man had been granted bail a couple of months ago in separate ongoing proceedings, the prosecutor pointed out.

Defence lawyer Jason Grima rebutted that the footage had been preserved as evidence.

Moreover, the accused needed treatment for a drug problem and denying him bail would likely risk his newly-acquired job, the lawyer argued. 

After consideration of the arguments, the court, presided over by magistrate Gabriella Vella, turned down the request for bail.