A man on Thursday was charged with negligently causing the death of a worker who fell down a shaft during construction work at the Ta’ Qali National Park last year.

Fatjon Lulaj, a 30 year-old Albanian man who resides in Qormi, was charged by Inspectors Clayton Camilleri and Andrew Agius Bonello with negligently causing the death of 40 year-old Adrian Muscat in January 2022.

He was also accused of negligently causing another man to be grievously injured and with failing to take reasonable steps to ensure safety and security at the site.

Construction machinery had overturned on two workers, causing one of them to fall some 6 metres down a narrow shaft, the police had said at the time. It is understood that the two men were using machinery which toppled over. One of them fell one storey into a narrow shaft, the police said.

Lulaj pleaded not guilty to the charges. Bail was requested by the defence

Lawyer Matthew Brincat, representing Lulaj, questioned the need for his client to be arraigned under arrest, pointing out that the defendant had been on police bail for over a year at this point.

Brincat told the court that the man had a stable job and family in Malta.

Magistrate Farrugia Frendo upheld the request for bail, ordering Lulaj to sign a bail book on three days every week. His bail was secured by a €1,000 deposit, as well as a €40,000 personal guarantee.