A man who allegedly devised a scheme to defraud some 13 individuals over a three-week span was remanded in custody after a request for bail, specifically to undergo rehabilitation, was turned down by the court.

Thomas Camilleri, a 30-year-old unemployed Gżira resident, was arraigned on Wednesday under arrest, pleading not guilty to no less than 30 charges, involving fraud and misappropriation of 13 individuals, one charge of aggravated theft and a charge of relapsing.

The man was further charged with breaching earlier bail conditions.

Police investigations had led to the arrest of the suspect who reportedly used to trick his victims by ordering goods, taking delivery of the order at the front door, disappearing from sight under some false excuse, only to slip away through some other exit without paying for the goods.

Upon his arraignment, the accused’s lawyer, Yanika Bugeja, assisting him as legal aid, made a request for bail, limiting the request solely so that the man could immediately seize upon an opportunity to enter a drug rehabilitation programme.

However, the request was strongly objected to by the prosecution, not only in view of the serious nature of the offences, but also because verification just before the arraignment had proved that there had been no arrangements regarding rehabilitation, as alleged by the accused.

“This is not the usual request for bail,” Dr Bugeja insisted, “but it’s intended so that the man does not miss the opportunity to enter into rehabilitation”.

However, in the light of such submissions, the court, presided over by magistrate Marse-Ann Farrugia declared that it was still too premature to request bail.

“The court must have peace of mind that this man is truly going to undergo rehabilitation, after hearing testimony confirming this,” the court concluded, thereby denying bail in view of the accused’s untrustworthy character and criminal record.

Inspectors Colin Sheldon and Bernardette Valletta prosecuted.