Police see no signs of prostitution in nightclubs raided

Three police officers yesterday told a court how they were involved in the raids of several adult night clubs and arrested 35 foreign women who worked there.

However, investigations showed no signs of prostitution.

Police Superintendent Antonello Grech and Inspectors Paul Vassallo and Therese Sciberras explained how, on November 17, they had been instructed by their superiors to carry out raids at various bars and nightclubs and arrest anyone who was dressed indecently or carrying out indecent acts.

They arrested several women and took their statements.

The women were eventually arraigned over "keeping, managing or sharing with others in the management of a brothel or of any house, shop or other premises or any part thereof which is or are, or is or are reputed to be resorted to for the purpose of prostitution or other immoral purposes".

However, in their evidence yesterday, the three police officers said that investigations did not lead them to believe the women were prostituting themselves.

They were testifying before Magistrate Antonio Mizzi in the compilation of evidence against the 35 foreign women, aged between 19 and 31.

The women - who include Romanians, Czechs, Hungarians, Slovaks, and Poles - are pleading not guilty to the charges brought against them.

When cross-examined by lawyer Joseph Giglio, Inspector Vassallo said there was no evidence of prostitution and confirmed that it would be correct to say that the prosecution was limiting its case to that part of the charge that dealt with "immoral purposes".

The lawyer commented brusquely it was not fair that, upon arraignment, the women's names were splashed all over newspapers as being charged with running a brothel.

Answering to questions put to him by lawyer Emmanuel Mallia, the officer said he was aware that the Employment and Training Corporation had issued permits for dancers but not for lap dancers. He later added that, as far as he knew, the law did not define dancing.

He confirmed that the charge had been pressed against the women following the interpretation of the investigating team that lap dancing was an immoral act.

When asked if the police had arrested any Maltese clients in the establishments, the inspector said they had not as they had done nothing wrong.

Superintendent Grech confirmed that there had been no evidence of prostitution and explained that the women had been arrested because they were dressed indecently in a public place.

He emphasises that none of the women he had arrested was naked.

Inspector Scibberas said the women were arrested because of what they were wearing, the fact that they said they were dancers and did not have work permits.