Notary gets suspended jail term

A notary has been given a two-year jail term suspended for four years and was generally interdicted when he was found guilty of forging the signature of a former employee, also a notary, onto three power of attorney documents.

Magistrate Antonio Vella found Sandro Schembri Adami, 43, of Valletta guilty of forging Sara Anne Agius's signature onto the documents on and before August 2004, making a false declaration as a public officer and making malicious use of the documents.

During the compilation of evidence, the magistrate heard Dr Agius explain that she had started working for the accused when she was a student and then stopped working at his firm in April 2004. Then, in August of that same year, she was contacted by two local banks and shown three power of attorney documents where she noticed that her signature had been forged.

The magistrate heard how the documents authorised Dr Schembri Adami to withdraw money, that clients had inherited, so that he would then pass the money on to the heirs.

On evaluating the case, the magistrate noted that Dr Schembri Adami had a clean criminal record and therefore an effective jail term was not appropriate.

He handed down a two-year jail term suspended for four years and ordered his interdiction.

Police Inspector Joseph Cordina prosecuted.