Two men from Cospicua on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to having set a car on fire on New Year's Eve.

Charlie Brincat, 41, and Christopher Zammit, 54, both of Cospicua, were arraigned before Magistrate Ian Farrugia.

Prosecuting inspector Kurt Farrugia told the court that a police patrol had come across the burning Toyota in St Paul Street, Cospicua, and used fire extinguishers kept in their patrol car to control the flames until a fire tender arrived.

He said the police established that another Cospicua resident has been making use of the vehicle since last October.

CCTV footage retrieved by the police showed the two accused walking down St Paul Street.

Footage also showed them walking to another location and reappearing sometime later wearing different clothes and making their way towards Zammit’s home.

Brincat, a vegetable vendor, and Zammit, a furniture maker, both denied the charges.

The motive for the alleged arson was not explained inc court. 

The prosecution objected to bail, citing the serious nature of the charges, the fact that both the accused have a criminal record and that Brincat and Zammit are neighbours, giving them the opportunity to tamper with evidence.

Lawyer Franco Debono told the court that Zammit could provide an alternative address in Zejtun, should there be an issue.

He insisted that there isn’t an automatic fear that the accused may interfere with evidence just because they live near each other.

“There has to be a concrete fear that the accused will tamper with evidence,” Debono said. Just because there are witnesses still to testify does not prove decisively that this fear exists,” he said. 

The magistrate denied bail and remanded both into custody.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri appeared for Zammit.

Brincat was assisted by legal aid lawyer Mattia Felice.