The death of a vegetable hawker from a heart attack while having sex with a prostitute led to the discovery of a brothel in a Gżira flat, a court was told yesterday.

The prostitute dragged her client’s body into the common area of the block of apartments before calling the police who in turn phoned flat owner Michael Sciberras.

The details emerged yesterday as Mr Sciberras testified in the case against 60-year-old Theresa Cutajar and her 25-year-old husband Elmleti Saad, who stand charged with running the brothel.

She dragged her client’s body into the common area before calling the police

Taking the witness stand, Mr Sciberras said his wife, Jeanette, had inherited a flat which had been leased under a ground rent of €800 a year to Ms Cutajar. He said he had heard the flat was being used as a brothel, adding that whenever he drove past he saw two women at the two windows which overlooked the street looking down.

When he made eye contact with them they gestured to him, inviting him inside.

On July 11, he received a phone call informing him that a 66-year-old man had died inside the flat and that the body had been dragged into the common area of the apartment block.

This was the straw that broke the camel’s back and he decided to go to the police to file a report.

The man, a vegetable hawker had decided to avail himself of the prostitute’s services when he died of a heart attack while having sex with her. Action was not taken as no crime had taken place.

In the last sitting, earlier this week, the court heard the testimony of three prostitutes, one of whom – Mary Louise Magro – said she was kept “practically a sex slave” by the couple who would demand money from her constantly.

The woman said she also had to ask for permission to have a shower or use the toilet.

Three prostitutes who testified told the court that they were made to pay €20 a day in rent.

The case continues in October.