A man who fell victim to two loan sharks described in court how it was only the timely intervention of the police that saved him from taking his life.

The man was giving evidence in proceedings against Anthony Galea, 55, and his 26-year old son Gilbert, both of Żurrieq, who on Christmas Eve were marched to court under arrest after their allegedly long-suffering victim finally confessed to the police how a loan of some €7,500 led to exorbitant repayment demands.

The two alleged money lenders were remanded in custody after pleading not guilty to having charged excessive rates of interest as well as with having threatened their debtor, causing him to fear violence.

Taking the witness stand, the visibly terrified man recalled how the whole ordeal had started one day in 2015 when he turned to father and son, reputed to be money-lenders, asking them for a loan of €3,000 with which he intended to refurbish a snack bar.

The sum was duly handed over and its repayment was fixed at monthly sums of €500. However, after paying three instalments, the last in February 2016, there never appeared to be a change in the pending balance.

The debtor explained how Gilbert Galea had once suggested that the debt could be struck off against a lump payment of €3,500. However, the debtor could not afford such a repayment and even turned to his creditors for a second loan of €4,500 increasing the total loan to €7,500.

In view of the ever-increasing sum, the debtor finally gave up and made no further repayments, living in constant fear of his creditors and too terrified to leave home save for work.

The situation reached a breaking point when, in January 2017, the man was told that his loan had reached €220,000. He finally turned to Caritas for help. Although the agency contacted the alleged money-lenders, the son’s promise to call back the following day never materialized, the court was told.

The victim’s situation became desperate when early one morning in December 2017, returning home from work, he came face to face with Gilbert Galea who had been waiting for him in a silver BMW.

“You must bring me €120,000 by Sunday or otherwise we won’t enjoy Christmas,” the money-lender had allegedly threatened, calling his victim the following day to up the demand to €150,000.

Unable to bear the situation any longer, the desperate debtor decided to take his own life, informing his employer that he would no longer report for work and asking him to forward any pending wages to his wife.

On December 16, he sent a text message to a friend confessing about his debt problems and declaring that he could not take it any longer. “I’m going to switch off my mobile. You won’t see me any more,” read the message.

It was this message which prompted the receiver to file a report which, in turn, sparked a police search. He was found at Ta’ Qali. The man was taken into police custody and it was only four days later that he dared venture out from home to release his statement to the police, doing so under escort.

The messages sent by the alleged loan sharks demanding payments from their victim were exhibited by the prosecution.

At the end of the sitting the court, presided over by magistrate Joseph Mifsud, turned down a request for bail on behalf of the two co-accused.

The case continues.

Inspector Jeffrey Scicluna prosecuted.

Lawyers Arthur Azzopardi and Alfred Abela were defence counsel.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Yanika Vidal appeared parte civile.