Darren Galea, 30, from Naxxar was accused of being responsible for the death of Muhammed Hassin M. Khalif on 26 November 2002 through carelessness and not following regulations. He was also charged with having employed the victim without a licence or permit.

The accused, who worked at Satariano and Sons in Birkirkara, said that as he was leaving his workplace on 26 November, an Arab man went into the establishment, asking for work. Galea said he had needed help carrying bricks and he handed the man a ladder.

The victim, Mr Khalif, climbed the ladder and went up on to a wall which collapsed while he was on it. He died as a result of the accident. Galea said he had been planning to give the man Lm5 for his efforts. The court took into account the accused’s early guilty plea, his relatively clean record and the fact that the victim had contributed to his death by climbing onto the wall.

Along with the jail term, the court, presided over by magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera, ordered Galea to pay a Lm400 fine. Inspector Dennis Theuma prosecuted.