Two men, one Maltese and one Nigerian, were on Sunday given suspended sentences by the courts over the damage they caused to cables in Floriana.

30-year-old Shardian Camilleri from Żabbar and 39-year-old Dominic Oziegbe who resides in Marsascala, were sentenced to two years imprisonment suspended for four years after they were caught on Saturday damaging underground fiber optic cables and a water pipe in Floriana while attempting to steal them, TVM reports.

In a court presided over by Magistrate Kevan Azzopardi, the prosecution said that the Police received a report from GO about damages in the tunnels under the Argotti gardens. It was stated that the Police went on site and found the men with tools and wearing protective clothing. Police officers found baskets and buckets that the men had taken with them to carry the cables. As a result, the damages amounted to €4,500.

TVM reports that the two men, who pleaded guilty to the charges.

Apart from the suspended sentence, the Magistrate ordered Camilleri and Oziegbe to pay €100 per month in restitution to GO for the damages.

A third man, David Scicluna 39 years old from Marsascala, was also brought before the Court in connection to the case, TVM reports. He pleaded not guilty and was remanded in custody.

The incident left parts of Floriana and half of Valletta without service.

The prosecution in this case was led by Lawyer Brandon Bonnici from the Attorney General's Office, and Inspectors Jeffrey Rizzo and Daryl Borg. For Scicluna, Lawyer Roberta Bonello Felice appeared, while Camilleri and Oziegbe were assisted by legal aid lawyer Luke Valletta.