A German man who runs a travel agency in Malta was today remanded in custody after pleading not guilty to defrauding a man of some €24,000.
Defence lawyer Arthur Azzopardi said that the man who filed the criminal complaint against his client was a fraudster who is claiming he had given his client money when none had been given.
He also criticised police investigators for not giving enough attention to a bank document of a transfer the alleged victim is claiming he made. The lawyer claimed that the document is "blatantly forged", apart from the fact that the account details are not even his client's.
The Maltese man is claiming that he had given the German businessman €24,000 over some business deal. But the German is saying no money ever changed hands.
Magistrate Gabriella Vella denied the man's request for bail as he did not provide a fixed residential address. He only gave the court the address of his business that he operates from Swatar. Moreover, the magistrate said the man failed to deposit his passport, so the court was not convinced that there was no fear of absconding.
Police Inspectors Matthew Vella and Christabelle Chetcuti prosecuted.