A German man has been found guilty of taking the law into his own hands after he ordered his employees to remove two air craft generators from a Libyan Air Ambulance due to a sum of money owed to the company he works for, M.C.M. Maintenance Centre Malta Limited.

The sum of money owed to the company was separate and distinct from the generators, costing some €7,000. The court found him guilty for ordering his employees to remove the generator before he filed a judicial protest or sought legal remedy to get the Ministry of Health in Tripoli to pay up.

Despite the accused, Alexander Ferdinand Vit, being found guilty, the court held that after taking into consideration the specifics of the case, and Mr Ferdinand’s character, it would be “inexpedient to inflict punishment”, ordered his immediate released and discharged him on condition that he does not commit another crime for six months.

Apart with being charged with taking the law into his own hands, Mr Ferdinand was also charged with causing damage to the Air Ambulance, which exceeded the sum of €250. He was acquitted of this charge after Magistrate Aaron Bugeja, presiding over the case, found that the prosecution did not prove this charge beyond reasonable doubt and found no evidence of direct damage to the aeroplane.

In its considerations, the court found that there was indeed a dispute between MCM and the owners of the aeroplane over the amount owed, that the accused had acted unilaterally to the detriment of the owners of the aeroplane as it unlawfully prevented them from enjoying their property and lastly that the accused did not intend to steal or cause wrongful damage.

Lawyers Lucio Schriha and Franco Galea were parte civile for Air Libya Ambulance, while lawyer Pio Valletta represented the accused.