A salesman who claimed to be a consultant, and administered maggot therapy to patients at Mater Dei Hospital, was cleared of misappropriation and fraud on lack of evidence.
Magistrate Audrey Demicoli cleared Pierre William Buontempo, 44 from Birkirkara, of misappropriation to the detriment of his former employer Charles Degiorgio Ltd.
The prosecution claimed that Mr Buontempo sold services, offered by the company at Mater Dei Hospital, without the company's consent.
The magistrate ruled that, at the time, he was in between jobs and the prosecution failed to prove that the services were of the company.
He was also cleared of defrauding the government of €100 when he benefited from three hepatitis vaccines - given to him for free because he worked in hospital - after the court noted that he was told to take the vaccines by hospital staff.
Throughout the compilation of evidence against Mr Buontempo, the magistrate heard how, in August 2010 the health authorities informed police about claims involving Mr Buontempo.
He was a former salesman at Charles Degiorgio Limited that provided Vacuum Assisted Closure (VAC) Therapy at Mater Dei Hospital. It was being claimed that he posed as a consultant and deceived about five patients into paying for VAC and maggot treatment to help heal their wounds.
During the case it resulted that Mr Buontempo had left Charles Degiorgio Limited and started working for a competitor company offering similar services.
David Stellini, managing director of Degiorgio medical equipment importers, testified that his company had employed Mr Buontempo as a part-time labeling clerk and later employed him as a medical representative to sell its wound care products.
Mr Buontempo had claimed that he graduated as a pharmacist from an Italian university, but never produced any certificates. Mr Buontempo later told police he never completed the course in Italy but was registered at the ETC as a medical consultant and had three A levels.
Mr Buontempo left the company due to claims that he was leaking information to a rival company, Mr Stellini said.
This was denied by the accused who rebutted these allegations saying they were the result of the fact that he had started working with a competitor.
Yvette Bonello, a clerk in the hospital's ID Cards and access control section, testified that in 2008 Mr Buontempo called at the hospital and requested an access card, claiming he was a consultant specialised in VAC and maggot therapy.
A card with limited access was issued. Some weeks later, Mr Buontempo requested a medical consultant's access card, which would grant him access to all sections. He claimed 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 document were not received.
Noel Abela, an Infection Control Nurse, said a nurse had turned up with Mr Buontempo and requested the infection control injections given to staff. He was administered three shots, as was normal for people who worked in hospital.
The case had first been reported by The Sunday Times of Malta in August 2010 after the Health Ministry ordered an inquiry and the police were called in.
The inquiry had found that Mr Buontempo has been issued the permanent access card after he claimed he graduated in pharmacology and worked for the police’s forensic department, the magistrate noted.
Lawyer Joe Giglio appeared for Mr Buontempo.