Cleared of tampering with separation contract

A man was cleared of tampering with his separation contract after a magistrate ruled that the charge had not been proven.

The 36-year-old man had been charged with forging a separation document between November 2003 and February 2004.

Magistrate Antonio Mizzi heard how the accused and his wife had separated through a contract dated November 27, 2003.

The police were later informed that the copy of the contract sent to the woman had been tampered with as certain clauses in her favour had been changed or deleted.

The man denied tampering with the document. During a search, the police found a copy of the contract from which the manipulated copy had allegedly been made.

On evaluating the evidence, the magistrate ruled that the charge had not been proven. He added that, so long as the original copy of the contract - which was in the notary's archives - had not been touched, no crime had been committed.

Police Inspector Ian Joseph Abdilla prosecuted.

Lawyers Joseph Giglio and Roberto Montalto were defence counsel.