The First Hall of the Civil Court yesterday ordered the release of equipment used during Friday's Simply Red concert after it was seized the following day to cover expenses incurred by a company in connection with the dinner held following the “Italy vs England Legends” match.
A number of fans had paid Lm50 (EUR116.47) to watch the match organised as part of "The Legends" event on Thursday. However, there was great confusion at Ta' Qali and spectators without tickets for the dinner managed to enter the dinner hall while ticket-holders were unable to get in.
The following day, (on Friday), Simply Red played at the Malta Fairs and Convention Centre (MFCC) at Ta' Qali in a concert that also formed part of "The Legends" event.
On Saturday, the Malta Fairs and Convention Centre (MFCC) filed a warrant of seizure for the Lm46,761 owed to it by the event organisers – Malta Music Festival Limited – for the rent of the venue and equipment used for Thursday's dinner and Friday's concert.
Following this, the court issued a warrant of seizure and all equipment used in the concert was seized to cover the expenses incurred by MFCC.
That same day, Malta Film Festival Ltd filed a counter protest, claiming that the MFCC did not prove that the equipment belonged to it. It claimed that the equipment seized was the property of Simply Red, or was rented by the band from other companies.
Malta Music Festival Ltd called for the release of the equipment owned by Simply Red, claiming that if it was not released, they would suffer great damages as the band would have to cancel an upcoming concert in London.
Presiding over the First Hall of the Civil Court, Mr Justice Lino Farrugia Sacco upheld the request and ordered the release of the equipment since it did not result that it was the property of Malta Film Festival Ltd.
The court also noted that, according to a quotation exhibited in court, MFCC was owed a total of Lm53,100 (including tax) of which 25 per cent were owned within 30 days. For this reason the current amount owed consisted of Lm39,825.
Lawyers Toni Abela and Stefano Filletti appeared for Malta Film Festival Ltd while lawyer Geoffrey Mifsud Farrugia appeared for MFCC.