Freddie Fenech, the founder of the Association for Abandoned Animals, allegedly pocketed thousands of euros in donations that never reached the charity, a court heard yesterday.

Taking the witness stand, Police Inspector Maurice Curmi told Magistrate Antonio Mizzi that, in April 2009, five AAA volunteers filed a police report against Mr Fenech, a former CID officer.

The officer was testifying in the compilation of evidence against Mr Fenech who stands charged with misappropriation.

Mr Curmi said he had spoken to Michael Balzan, who owned a petrol station, and said Mr Fenech used to cash 15 to 20 cheques every two or three weeks throughout the previous six years at his station. The cheques were addressed to the charity and varied in amounts from Lm10 (€23.29) to Lm30 (€69.88) and were addressed directly to the AAA and some to association president Romina Formosa. He would also pay for petrol from the donations cashed, the police officer said.

He said he made enquiries in all banks and found that Mr Fenech had only one account with Bank of Valletta. This account had three deposits in the form of cheques and these were all addressed to the AAA.

Furthermore, Ms Formosa and another volunteer, Rosalind Agius, said although people were donating money it was never handed over to the charity. The police inspector said that, in a statement, Mr Fenech said he needed about €2,300 a month to run the charity and admitted to cashing cheques, insisting, however, the money was used directly to pay people who had rendered services related to the charity.

Mr Fenech said in a statement that he had only cashed the cheques on a Saturday or Sunday because the banks were closed and denied ever using any donations for personal use.

NGO Commissioner Kenneth Wain said the AAA was registered when Mr Fenech was president. However, once the allegations emerged and he was ousted from the AAA, Prof. Wain asked that the certificate of enrolment be returned to the commissioner’s office. He said Mr Fenech gave him a hard time to hand over the certificate and only returned it once the police got involved.

The case continues.

Lawyer Caroline Farrugia is defence counsel.

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