Deputy Attorney General Donatella Frendo Dimech yesterday rubbished claims the Italian authorities had tried to prevent the Maltese from pressing money laundering charges against an alleged Italian fraudster.

Dr Frendo Dimech crossed swords in the case with the lawyers representing Fabio Zulian, 47, who is accused of defrauding the Casino di Venezia of thousands of euro.

Mr Zulian had originally been charged with two other men – Gaetano Caramazza, 65, and Slovenian Nevio Barut, 50 – in 2006. Mr Caramazza committed suicide and Mr Barut filed a guilty plea and was jailed for three years and fined €7,000 in 2007.

Dr Frendo Dimech was responding to calls from lawyers Joe Brincat and Stefano Filletti to have the money laundering charge against their client dropped because the Italian authorities, they claimed, had invoked a specific law to limit the charges.

They said that Italy would not be sending one of their nationals back to face a charge that did not even exist in Italian law.

Dr Frendo Dimech and lawyer Giannella de Marco, appearing for the casino, said that a clarification had been sent to the Italian courts, which had then specified that they had sent Mr Zulian back to face all charges.

Dr Frendo Dimech said that the prosecution would definitely not withdraw any charges against him.

The case continues.

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