Cleared of misappropriation

A man and a woman were cleared of misappropriating €23,000 from an 83-year-old man in 2006 after the prosecution failed to prove its case.

Yolanda Farrugia, 59, of Cospicua and James Zammit, 35, of Marsascala, allegedly took advantage of Lawrence Scerri who used to frequent Ms Zammit's bar situated near the home for the elderly in Cospicua.

Mr Scerri had given Ms Farrugia €2,330 to help her as she was in financial difficulties and €20,970 to Mr Zammit to help him buy a parcel of land.

The court heard that Mr Scerri had €23,000 in fixed deposits and acted as a guarantor to allow Mr Zammit to obtain a loan for €20,970 to buy some land.

When Mr Scerri's son, Victor, who also had power of attorney over his father's accounts, asked his father for some money he found nothing in the fixed deposits account. He told the police his father had suffered from mental illness and that the accused knew this and took full advantage of the situation.

Magistrate Audrey Demicoli said there was nothing to prove that Mr Scerri had suffered from a mental illness or that the accused had misappropriated the money from him.

Mr Scerri said in court he had given the money to Ms Farrugia to help her with her financial difficulties and he also voluntarily gave money to Mr Zammit.

Magistrate Demicoli found Ms Farrugia and Mr Zammit not guilty of misappropriation.

Police Inspector Maurice Curmi prosecuted.

Lawyer Joseph Giglio appeared for the accused.