A retired civil servant was today condemned to a seven-month term suspended for a year after a court convicted him of having falsely promised to provide social housing to a friend and extorting €2,300.

Police Inspector Ian Abdilla said that Gordon Pace, 63, had met a certain Carmel Bugeja and insinuated that he worked in a government ministry. He had promised to help him get a government residence for his son but insisted on being paid Lm500 immediately. The sum was handed over. Later another Lm500 were handed over.

Mr Bugeja started becoming suspicious when another Lm500 were requested and the case was reported to the police.

Mr Pace in a police statement said he had borrowed the money from Mr Bugeja with the intention of returning it. He denied that the money was given to him so that he could arrange for a governemnt residence for Mr Bugeja's son.

Mr Bugeja said no money was ever repaid.

Magistrate Lawrence Quintano said it as clear that the accused had received Lm1,000 (€2,300) after promising to arrange for a governemnt property to be handed over to Mr Bugeja. The court said it believed the evidence of Mr Bugeja and his family and condemned Mr Pace to a one-year jail term suspended for a year after he promised to repay the money.

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