Three face usury charges

Three men were yesterday charged separately before Magistrate Silvio Meli with illegally lending money at high interest rates.

Raymond Mallia, 46, of Msida, Francis Farrugia, 46, of Hamrun and Paul Mallia, 26, of Qormi pleaded not guilty to usury and causing the man who was lent the money to fear that they would use violence against him on and before Monday.

Raymond Mallia and Mr Farrugia were also charged with relapsing.

Police Inspector Ian Abdilla, prosecuting, explained that the three men were being charged separately because their cases were not connected with one another. Their only link was that they had lent money to the same man, who borrowed from one to pay the other.

All three were granted bail against a personal guarantee of Lm1,000.

Lawyers Chris Cardona, Anglu Farrugia and Joe Zammit McKeon were defence counsel.