A magistrate has cleared a man who 11 years ago was charged with usury and ordered the police to investigate the alleged victim for lying under oath.

Magistrate Miriam Hayman acquitted Alfred Mallia, 62, of usury-related charges after she heard that the claims made by the alleged victim, Joseph Friggieri, did not hold water. She therefore ordered the Police Commissioner to see whether Mr Friggieri had committed perjury.

Mr Mallia had been accused of lending money and charging interest that was higher than that permissible by law on and before June 27, 2004. A number of police inspectors testified that Mr Friggieri was not trustworthy. An officer even said Mr Friggieri had often called him claiming to be somebody else.

Mr Friggieri, who in the past had been charged with fraud and misappropriation, had also made claims about a member of the judiciary. The court noted that Mr Friggieri made claims against people in an attempt to wriggle out of paying back money he had borrowed.

The court found there was no evidence whatsoever that the interest charged by Mr Mallia over the €3,700 Mr Friggieri had borrowed from him was beyond the legal limit and cleared him of the charge.