Five Valletta football club officials and two Birkirkara football club players were found not guilty of inciting supporters, forming a gang and behaving abusively during the Super Cup final match played on 21 August, last year.

The incident unfolded at the National Stadium at Ta’ Qali towards the end of the match.

Players Paul Fenech and Shaun Bajada and officials Sergio Zampa, Nicholas Saliba, Sandro Ciliberti, Kevin Gauci and Vincent Tabone had also been charged with swearing, breaching the public order, insulting, provoking and assaulting others, and refusing to obey police orders.

The court presided by Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera heard how at one point, when the Birkirkara players went up to the VIP area to collect their trophies, they came to blows with the Valletta officials and commotion developed.

The magistrate pointed out that both the Valletta officials and the Birkirkara players were in the VIP area legitimately because they both were about to collect their prizes. She added that the situation was unplanned and occurred spontaneously and the prosecution failed to prove that the accused intended to create trouble.

Lawyers Michael and Lucio Sciriha appeared for the officials while Edward Gatt defended the players.