The former Pilatus Bank employee turned whistleblower at the heart of the Egrant scandal has apparently left Malta, taking along all her family, in a move which came to light this morning when she once again failed to turn up for a court sitting.

In the last sitting held on July 21 the court, presided over by Magistrate Joseph Mifsud, had ordered the woman to be brought to court under arrest and had fined her €500 for failing to keep her appointment.

In breach of order, the woman did not put in an appearance when her case was called. Her defence lawyer, Daniel Buttigieg, informed the court that he had been unable to contact his client since June. She had changed lawyers and had told the court that she was going to pay her previous lawyer, but had failed to do so, he said.

Inspector Jeffrey Scicluna testified how on August 1 he had liaised with the Sliema police station to execute the arrest warrant imposed by the court. However, when officers called at her residence, they found that the woman and her family had cleared out.

The landlord told the police that the woman had recently travelled abroad with her children, informing him in advance that she would settle any outstanding bills. In fact, she had contacted her former landlord via email so as to make arrangements for payment by means of internet banking.

The last time the landlord spoke to the woman's husband was on July 21 when he called at the apartment to take water and electricity readings. “Apparently both his wife and children had been away for some time...He didn't tell me he was going to leave Malta, he just said that he wouldn't be staying there anymore. I thought he wanted to move to a bigger place” said landlord Stephen Rossi when testifying today.

Asked about the woman, the landlord said that he had last seen the woman some three months ago. She had sent him an email on July 31 saying her family had found itself subject to intimidation and needed to leave Malta urgently. She promised to send the keys by mail and settle outstanding bills and rent amounting to €1,795. However, to date, he had not received the keys or the money.

Queries with the immigration police revealed that the woman had not used her passport, which meant that she travelled to a Schengen country.

Inspector Lara Butters testified that the woman had filed an application in March asking the court for permission to go abroad. The decree upholding the request did not specify a date, only restricting her movements to EU countries and ordering the applicant to inform the police whenever she left Malta.

The last time she signed her bail book was June 26, the inspector said. “I was not informed that she had not signed since then.” After enquiring with JobsPlus the inspector found that the woman had ceased to be employed as of June 27.

The woman is the subject of at least two criminal proceedings, accused of defrauding Pilatus Bank in one and of having made false accusations against Superintendent Denis Theuma and inspectors Jonathan Ferris and Lara Butters in another.

The court ordered that the woman be placed on the wanted list, saying the warrant for her arrest remained in force but the fine would not be liquidated as yet.