[WATCH] Jurors taken to site of 2009 hold-up

Jury in trial of Matthew Mizzi taken on sites related to 2009 hold-up

The jury trial of the alleged accomplice of a man found guilty of holding up a shop in Birkirkara in 2009 continued this morning, with jurors being taken to view the areas involved with their own eyes.

Earlier today, one man who had been present for the arrest testified.

"We had a fright when they [police] forced the door open...we moved out of the room... I went upstairs", said Renald Grech of the raid.

"The police had asked him [Mizzi] whether he was with Johnny [Coleiro] in Birkirkara. “I think he had shot someone because the police were asking him to give them the gun.”

The visit takes place today on the fourth day of the trial by jury of Matthew Mizzi, accused of complicity in the 2009 armed robbery during which a shopkeeper was shot.

The trial yesterday took an unexpected turn after the possibility that the accomplice had been suffering from heroin withdrawal symptoms was raised.

The armed robber, Jonathan Coleiro, is currently serving a 15-year sentence for his part in the hold-up, after he pleaded guilty at a late stage in compilation proceedings in order to avoid a trial by jury.

Defence lawyers Michael and Lucio Sciriha, together with lawyer Chris Chircop are insisting that that the hold-up was all Coleiro’s doing and that he had taken advantage of Mizzi’s heroin withdrawal symptoms to trick him into giving him a lift to the shop.

The jury heard testimony from witness Brendon Carabott, who was present at the time of the arrest of the accused.

Asked where he had been on the on the 13th April 2009, he said: “I was alone with my friend, in a slum in Cospicua, which was used by my friend Renald. Later on another guy came too. I think he was called Jonathan.” He only knew this person by sight, he told the court.

“If I remember correctly, Jonathan was in shock. I couldn’t understand what he was saying. He wasn’t speaking in full sentences, like he was drunk. For example he mentioned ‘Birkirkara,’ ‘police’ and ‘they haven’t come for me yet’.”

Lawyers Elaine Mercieca and Ann Marie Cutajar from the office of the Attorney General are prosecuting, whilst lawyers Michael Sciriha, Lucio Sciriha and Christopher Chircop are defence counsel.

Video is unavailable at this time.