A former employee of a locally-based business outsourcing company, tasked with handling Arms Ltd’s customer service department, today admitted to fraud and misappropriation when she took customers’ cash amounting to some €15,000 and intended to settle bills to fatten her own pockets.
Charmaine Camilleri, 41, from Marsascala, presently unemployed, was also charged with printing, taking possession of and disclosing computer data without the necessary authorisation.
Customers calling on Arms Ltd's free phone with utilities queries and complaints regarding excessively high bills were answered by the accused who replied that she did not have a solution to their problems. However, shortly after hanging up, she would call back through her own personal phone and tell customers she could help them.
These customers entrusted their money to the woman in the hope of resolving their problems. However, upon receiving fresh bills they realised that nothing had been done. Fresh bills showed the same outstanding amounts. Some customers even received a notice of disconnection of services.
The prosecution presented copies of SMSs exchanged between some of the victims and the accused, receipts issued by the latter, the woman's work schedule at the time of the alleged offences, and the accused's passport which she had personally handed over as surety to one of her victims.
“I cannot lie about something I have done,” the woman replied frankly upon being asked by the court about whether she fully understood the implications of what she had done. “You do know that upon this admission I may send you to jail?” asked Magistrate Monica Vella.
The accused requested a ban on the publication of her name in the interest of her children. The prosecution objected arguing that there were no grounds to merit such a ban. Moreover, there were possibly other people who were still not aware of the scam.
Criminal proceedings were instituted after the victims spoke to Enemalta who, in turn, informed the police. The defrauded customers were later approached by the police who garnered sufficient information to arraign the perpetrator.
The court declared the woman guilty upon her own admission and condemned her to a two-year jail term suspended for four years. It also ordered the accused to reimburse her five victims within six months, warning her of the legal consequences should she fail to abide by the judgment.
Inspector Anna Marie Xuereb prosecuted. Lawyer Benjamin Valenzia was legal aid.