Three more charged with running brothel

Two Maltese men and a Russian woman were yesterday charged with running a brothel in Sliema, a day after a man and his son appeared in court in connection with the same brothel.

Ernest Pulis, 30, of Paola, Ian Camilleri, 36, of Sliema and his Russian girlfriend Luiza Sharipova, 21, yesterday pleaded not guilty to living off the earnings of prostitution practised by both foreign and Maltese people, and running a brothel on and before May this year at Pace's Guesthouse in Sliema.

On Sunday, Emanuel Bajada, 51, and his 27-year-old son Victor were accused of trafficking in humans with the aim of prostitution and allowing the guesthouse in Sliema and Adam's Guesthouse in St Julians to be used for prostitution.

During yesterday's arraignment, Dr José Herrera and Dr Roberto Montalto, for the accused, questioned the legitimacy of the arrest because, they maintained, their clients had been charged at 4.30 p.m., which was over 48 hours after their arrest.

The lawyers also contested the fact that their clients had not been clearly informed about their state of arrest at the time.

Superintendent Alexandra Mamo for the prosecution explained that the arrest was registered at 4.30 p.m. on Saturday.

She noted that the police had been observing the Sliema guesthouse for months as they suspected prostitution was going on. There had been an inquiry into Adam's Guesthouse which was extended to Pace's Guesthouse.

She added that the police entered Pace's Guesthouse on the strength of a warrant issued by a magistrate, and when they burst into the premises they warned people inside not to move.

When the accused were taken to the Floriana lock-up at the police headquarters, the superintendent told officials there that the time of the arrest was 4.30 p.m.

Inspector Raymond Aquilina said that on the day of the arrest he informed Magistrate Jacqueline Padovani Grima about the arrest over the phone and later sent a fax with the relevant information.

After hearing these submissions, Magistrate Giovanni Grixti ruled that, although he did not question the prosecution's integrity, the defence had raised doubts about whether or not the accused had been clearly informed about their state of arrest.

The magistrate said the prosecution had not satisfied the conditions of arrest laid down in the law.

For these reasons, the magistrate declared that the arrest was no longer legitimate.

Superintendent Alexandra Mamo, Inspector Louise Calleja and Raymond Aquilina prosecuted.

During another sitting yesterday, Magistrate Joseph Apap Bologna started hearing evidence in the case of the Bajadas behind closed doors.

The magistrate upheld the request by Dr Chris Cardona, counsel to the Bajadas, to hear the evidence behind closed doors. The prosecution did not object to the request.