Vincent Muscat’s lawyers are “forcefully” objecting to the Attorney General’s request to have Daren Debono, known as it-Topo, added as witness at the upcoming trial over the failed HSBC heist. The issue first cropped up in January on the eve of the trial where Muscat, known as il-Kohhu, and Debono were due to face accusations over their alleged involvement in the 2010 attempted armed robbery at HSBC in Qormi. But on the eve of the trial, Debono struck a plea bargain whereby the AG dropped attempted homicide charges against him in exchange for evidence against his former co-accused. Debono was subsequently jailed for 10 years six months and fined €18,000. However that unexpected twist of events triggered heated arguments by Muscat’s lawyers who strongly opposed the prosecution’s request to add Debono to their list of witnesses. It-Topo’s position had shifted overnight from that of co-accused to prosecution’s main witness, a move described by Muscat’s lawyers as “a bolt out of the blue.” Debono ffected had never testified at the compilation of evidence stage and therefore his testimony at the trial was inadmissible, the defence argued. The Criminal Court, presided over by Mr...
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