'Wrongly charged' woman claims compensation

A woman who was discharged after the police failed to prove charges of fraud and misappropriation, yesterday called on the Police Commissioner and the Attorney General to pay her damages.

Michelle Muscat, 42, of Sliema, filed a judicial protest in the First Hall of the Civil Court claiming compensation for being wrongly charged. She explained that when she was charged in June 2009 over something that allegedly happened in April 2007, the witnesses who testified before the presiding magistrate said that she had not been involved in the case and that they barely knew her. The presiding magistrate ruled that there was not enough evidence for her to be indicted and that "there is no case to answer to".

Ms Muscat said that as a result of this failed criminal case, she suffered irreparable damage and was entitled to compensation.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri prosecuted.