Fingerprints extracted from a toiletry box proved to be insufficient evidence to prove the involvement of a man accused of a burglary which occurred in Birkirkara.

Roderick Gerada was the prime suspect in the burglary case which occurred nine years ago. Gerada was charged with breaking into the residence of an elderly couple on 22 June 2008 at around 5pm. At the time of the incident, the elderly couple was having dinner at a relatives’ house. The daughter was in hospital.

Returning home, the couple was shocked to find that their house had been broken into. A number of valuable objects and cash had been stolen with the value amounting to €20,000.

Upon carrying the investigation, the police went to the house to lift fingerprints. They managed to extract fingerprints from a toiletry box found in the couple’s bedroom which matched the right hand index finger of the accused. Gerada then faced charges of aggravated theft.

While refusing to testify in court, the accused chose to stand by the statement he gave to the police, insisting that he had no involvement whatsoever with the burglary.

Despite reporting a positive match between the fingerprint samples, the court presided by Antonio Micallef Trigona noted how according to the forensic unit, the prints had a ‘certain degree of contradiction’. The magistrate ruled that the court could not find the man guilty without any reasonable doubt, based on one solitary fingerprint.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Amadeus Cachia appeared for the accused.