A salesman, who allegedly claimed to be a consultant specialised in treating deep wounds at Mater Dei Hospital, was cleared of misappropriation and fraud on lack of evidence.
Pierre William Buontempo, 44, from Birkirkara, was arraigned following an internal inquiry ordered by the Health Ministry.
A preliminary report concluded there were grounds to carry out further investigations into an alleged scam, involving a salesman and a nurse, who were charging patients thousands of euros for vacuum assisted closure (VAC) therapy and maggot therapy that helped deep wounds heal faster.
The crimes allegedly occurred between October 2009 and April 2010.
Mr Buontempo faced three charges: misappropriation of funds to the detriment of his former employer, Charles Degiorgio Ltd (that offered VAC therapy in hospital); defrauding the government of €100 when he benefited from three free hepatitis vaccines he was not entitled to; and relapsing.
David Stellini, from Charles Degiorgio Ltd, testified that his company had originally employed Mr Buontempo as a part-time labelling clerk and later as a medical representative selling wound-care products.
Mr Buontempo left the company amid claims that he was leaking information to a rival company, Mr Stellini said. Mr Buontempo denied this.
Yvette Bonello, a clerk in the hospital’s access control section, said that, in 2008, Mr Buon-tempo requested a temporary access card, claiming he was a consultant specialised in VAC and maggot therapy.
The elements of misappropriation had not been proven
A card with limited access was issued. Some weeks later, Mr Buontempo requested a permanent medical consultant’s access card, claiming he was a consultant in the tissue viability unit.
It was issued, on condition that he produced a reference letter. The permanent access card was eventually blocked when the necessary documents were not received.
Noel Abela, an infection control nurse, said a nurse had turned up with Mr Buontempo and asked for infection control injections given to staff. He was given three hepatitis shots.
The relative of an amputee who paid over €2,000 for VAC said the payment was made directly to Mr Buontempo in cash and cheques. Another patient said she paid €346 directly to him for maggot therapy.
Magistrate Audrey Demicoli concluded the police had failed to prove that the VAC and maggot therapy offered by Mr Buontempo belonged to Charles Degiorgio Ltd.
At the time, he was in between jobs, so the services could have been provided through his new employer. Therefore, the elements of misappropriation had not been proven. She also cleared him of defrauding the government of €100 because he had been told to take the hepatitis vaccines by hospital staff and the element of deceit had not been proven.
Police Inspector Jonathan Ferris prosecuted. Lawyer Joseph Giglio represented Mr Buontempo.
What led to the investigation?
The Health Ministry had ordered the internal investigation after it got wind of an alleged scam in April 2010 when a patient turned up with an invoice expecting to be reimbursed for the VAC therapy he received at Mater Dei Hospital.
Earlier that year, Mater Dei had started providing the therapy on a trial period.
However, it stopped offering the service because the therapy was still being tested and complications arose in the tendering process of the provision of the therapy.
In August 2010, The Sunday Times of Malta revealed that a preliminary report into the case concluded there was the need for further investigation and the police were called.