A court will determine whether there is enough prima facie evidence for five out of six individuals charged in connection with the AFM Safi barracks drug heist to stand trial in the coming days.

Criminal proceedings against Sean Attard, Carlos Pace, Yousef Essesi, Cleaven Pace and

Christa Gauci resumed before the Court presided over by Magistrate Elaine Rizzo on Thursday morning.

All are pleading not guilty to the charges.

The sitting mainly centred around decrees which will be handed in the coming days, determining whether there is enough evidence for the accused individuals to stand trial.

Although the court was informed that no contesting submissions in this vein would be lodged with regard to Attard, Carlos Pace and Essesi, defence lawyers representing Cleaven Pace and Christa Gauci stated the inverse.

Oral submissions were thus heard by the Court, with the prosecution mainly referring to CCTV footage displaying two particular vehicles and the route taken by these vehicles during and after the theft.

At this juncture, lawyer Franco Debono noted that the footage had not actually been exhibited before the court, with the corollary that any submissions relating to such footage should not be considered by the court. It was argued, moreover, that the majority of the submissions made by the Prosecution pertained to mere interpretations of the footage.

Lawyer Marion Camilleri also argued that no prima facie evidence demonstrating the elements of the crimes with which Gauci is charged had been put forward.

Lawyer Adreana Zammit, in making additional submissions in relation to Cleaven Pace, reiterated that the footage had not been formally exhibited.

The case was adjourned to 24 March, where 'prima facie' decrees and decrees pertaining to pending bail requests will be handed by the Court.

Lawyers Franco Debono, Matthew Xuereb, Marion Camilleri, Amadeus Cachia and Adreana Zammit appeared for the accused.

Police Inspector Mark Anthony Mercieca, Alfredo Mangion and Jeffrey Scicluna Briffa prosecuted along with Attorney General lawyer Francesca Spiteri.