Darren ‘It-Topo’ Debono did not identify his accomplices in a notorious HSBC heist to investigators or the prosecution before being awarded a controversial plea deal.

Lovin Malta is informed that Debono, who turned state witness for a lighter sentence but now refuses to name names, did not mention a single other person who could have been involved in the heist when speaking to investigators beyond Vince Muscat, who has also been charged in the case.

The decision to grant Debono a plea deal has been controversial from the start. He was handed a 10-year prison sentence for his role in the heist with charges concerning the firing of 65 shots at police officers being dropped.

It courted significant criticism with many admonishing the role of Attorney General Victoria Buttigieg and Police Commissioner Angelo Gafa in the plea deal. A protest calling for the Attorney General’s resignation will take place tomorrow.

Concerns have seemingly been proven correct after Debono’s long-awaited testimony turned farcical after he refused outright to name his accomplices in the heist.

“Please your honour, I won’t name them. I don’t want to put my son’s life in danger,” Debono pleaded.

He has since been arrested and will likely be charged over the incident. However, it seems that he will still benefit from his plea deal.

However, major questions must now be asked as to how Debono was granted a pardon in the first place, and whether his silence has anything to do with it.

Debono’s decision to turn mute at such a crucial juncture will continue to arouse suspicion around major figures linked to the attempted heist, which includes Minister Carmelo Abela and former minister Chris Cardona.

George and Alfred Degiorgio, who have been charged with the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia and are linked to the hesit, have also named the two men as accomplices in major crimes. Abela was an HSBC manager at the time of the attempted robbery.

On 30th June 2010, a group of robbers attempted a heist on the HSBC headquarters in Qormi while police were busy working on a state visit of Italy’s President.

Police were able to arrive on the scene quickly after receiving an anonymous tip-off. Some 65 shots were fired at police.

The robbers managed to get away. However, Muscat and Debono were later charged in connection to the robbery.

Muscat’s lawyer and Cardona’s partner David Gatt was charged with the heist, but charges were eventually dropped.

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