Court hears of phoney notary in property deal

A man was swindled out of Lm800 by two men, one of whom posed as a notary, the court heard yesterday.

Police Inspector Edel Mary Camilleri testified before Magistrate Antonio Mizzi how a man, whose identity cannot be published by court order, filed a report with the police after he was defrauded by two people, who later resulted were brothers.

The court decreed that in the interests of the man who filed the complaint, the identity of those who defrauded him should not be revealed at this stage.

The police officer testified that the victim had spoken to one of the men and told him he wanted to rent a property in the area of St Julians. The latter said he knew a notary who could find property at a cheap rate.

Eventually, an appointment was made and the three met at Spinola last November and the client was introduced to a "notary" by the name of "Charles Grech". The client was told there was a property at San Gwann that could be rented for Lm1,600 as from December. A sum of Lm800 had to be paid in advance and the client paid "the notary" Lm500 in cash.

The victim said he did not see the property or ask the "notary" for his particulars. He had met him again in December, when he gave him another Lm300. On asking him for the contract, the "notary" said his secretary had posted it two days before but the client never received it.

He eventually saw the "notary" driving a car in Birkirkara and noted its registration number. He went to a police station to check about its owner and when he was told it belonged to a person who was not "Notary Charles Grech", he filed a report with the police.

The witness said that when she arrested the two accused, the one who had posed as a "notary" said he knew nothing about the case while his brother said he was sorry but then changed his version. He admitted knowing the victim who identified both of them.

Dr Antoine Tonna is appearing for the victim while Dr Franco Debono is appearing for the accused.

The case continues.