An unemployed man who posed as a mechanic was today charged with defrauding an elderly man of more than €14,000 to repair a faulty gearbox. 

Joseph Cioffi, 36 from Xghajra, was arraigned before magistrate Doreen Clarke accused of defrauding a 76-year-old man of €14,300 to perform a repair job on his Skoda. The repair was never carried out. 

Police Inspectors Raymond Aquilina and Christabelle Chetcuti vehemently objected to a request for bail. They said that Mr Cioffi had approached witnesses and threatened the victim at his home, also threatening the victim’s family members. 

She added that his statement to police was almost empty as he did not offer any explanation or justification for what had happened. 

Inspector Aquilina told the magistrate that Mr Cioffi had attempted to slit his throat while in police custody and was admitted to Mount Carmel Hospital. When he was released, the hospital failed to inform the police who only found out that he had been released when they received a report from the victim that he had been threatened. He insisted that the accused was not trustworthy. 

Defence lawyer Noel Bartolo said his client could be granted bail and ordered to stay away from the witnesses but Magistrate Clarke would not take any risks and remanded him in custody. 

Lawyer Benjamin Valencia appeared parte civile for the victim and his family.