An Enemalta employee who is undergoing court proceedings for fraud had installed 88 Smart meters which were under-reading, a court was told today.

Giving testimony in proceedings against Richard Gauci, who has admitted to the charges, Alan Chetcuti, an Enemalta representative said 88 meters installed by Mr Gauci were under-reading. Customers had said they paid Mr Gauci €500 for each meter for a total of some total of €44,000.  It was not yet known what losses Enemalta had suffered because of these under-reading meters and contacts were underway on how Mr Gauci could repay the corporation.

He could not say if Mr Gauci had taken all the money since it could have been split between a number of people. 

Magistrate Carol Peralta deferred the case for September for the defence to present their own evidence.

Mr Gauci's sister and Mr Gauci himself complained to the court that he was not receiving proper care at the Forensic Unit of Mt Carmel Hospital, where he is detained. Although he was supposed to get care twice a week, he was only getting care once a month and was unable to walk.

Magistrate Peralta sent a recommendation to the authorities for Mr Gauci to be given the necessary attention

In a separate case against technician Anthony Pace, who is pleading not guilty, Caroline Zerafa, from the Attorney General’s Office presented three certificates waiving court proceedings against Anton Ciantar, Saviour Sammut and Emanuel Zammit.

Taking the witness stand, Saviour Sammut, explained that he lives in Mellieha and has a tea shop in Attard.

He said that Mr Pace had offered him an under-declaring electricity meter. He paid him €1,200 for the installation. The smart meter has been installed for around a year and a half and read just 60 per cent of the real consumption, Enemalta told him.

He himself knew that the bills were lower than what they should be, but did not know by how much.

Taking the witness stand, Emanuel Zammit, from St Paul's Bay, said he met a man on the quay at St Paul’s Bay who offered him an under-reading meter. He at first turned down the offer because the meters were in the common parts of his apartment block. Then the men told him that his meter could be changed on the pretence that it was damaged. He asked him for €2,200 but the witness said he found that to be too expensive.

They eventually agreed on a price and the meter was replaced.

The witness said the man he had spoken to was not the accused.

The court warned him about the consequences of perjury.

Lawyer Robert Abela representing the witness, said that he was present for the police questioning and the witness had pored over photos given to him by the police but could not identify the man who spoke to him.

When the witness was called back, he said that a photo he picked out was the same person in the dock but the person whom he spoke to was not the same person in the dock.

Police Inspector Zammit said that he was reserving the right to take action against Mr Zammit on suspicion of perjury, but would first discuss the case with the attorney general.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri represented Enemalta.

In a reaction to Mr Gauci's comments, the Ministry of Home Affairs said he was receiving regular physio and occupational therapy at Mt Carmel Hospital as recommended by his doctors. The physiotherapist after examination had recommended sessions once weekly not once monthly.

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