Court hears evidence about catering business which went wrong

An Italian man yesterday told a court that his business partner had continued running a restaurant in his, the Italian's, name after they had decided to part ways and his partner had signed an agreement assuming responsibility for the restaurant.

Luigi Patamia said he had entered into an agreement to run the Black Pearl Restaurant with Carmelo Rollo but the partnership was dissolved after just over a month because they found they could not agree on the running of the restaurant.

Patamia testified before Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera in the compilation of evidence against Rollo, 46, who is pleading not guilty to defrauding credit card holders and forging their signature and other documents between June and September.

He is also charged with working at the Black Pearl Restaurant without a permit, forging an Italian identity card and using someone else's user name and password to gain entry to a computer system.

Patamia said he had met Rollo while working at the Hotel Milano Due as a chef and his initial relationship with Rollo as a client had eventually blossomed into friendship.

He had learnt that the Black Pearl Restaurant was up for sale or lease and he had joked with Rollo about joining forces and taking it over.

"He took me up on it and we eventually spoke to a Mr Vella to lease the Black Pearl. The contract was signed between this Mr Vella and Josette Vella, my girlfriend. She was named director since she was Maltese and Rollo and I were designated signatories.

"The business lasted from June 6 to July 14. We found we could not work together because we did not agree on how the business should be run so I told him that he could keep the business or I would.

"We had both invested money in it and Rollo opted to keep the Black Pearl, signing an agreement in which he agreed to assume civil and commercial responsibilities," Patamia said.

He said Rollo used to go to the restaurant every day while they were still partners although Rollo did nothing much at the restaurant.

He explained that an EPOS machine supplied by HSBC had been taken to the restaurant. The machine was registered at Sapori di Calabria, which was the restaurant of Josette Vella and her family.

Patamia said the EPOS machine stayed at the Black Pearl until October 2 when Vella's mother, Alfrida Camenzuli, and brother Steve Camenzuli found it on the doorstep of Sapori di Calabria.

Patamia also explained how he gave Rollo access to his private bank account and even made his Quikcash card available to him so he could deposit money into the account.

He explained that he had agreed with Rollo that Rollo was to pay him in cash and through the cards credited through the EPOS machine, which went straight to his bank account.

Patamia said he used to go with Rollo when Rollo wanted to withdraw money from his Patamia's account. Patamia said he did not dwell on it too much since some of the money in the account was in fact Rollo's.

Patamia said Rollo in effect kept running the Black Pearl under Patamia's name and he (Patamia) now owed the bank and Rollo's suppliers, besides having to settle utility bills.

The first time he realised there was a problem was on October 1 when he went with Rollo to the bank because Rollo wanted to withdraw Lm2,000 from his (Patamia's) account to pay the lease.

The cashier told them there was a problem and they were eventually called to the director's office and again told there was a problem which he thought was a matter of transferring the EPOS machine to Rollo's name.

When he eventually realised what was going on, that the EPOS machine had been used abusively, he immediately went to the police, Patamia said.

The case continues.

Police Inspector Alexandra Mamo is prosecuting.

Dr Joseph Brincat and Dr Deborah Schembri are appearing for Rollo while Dr Edward Woods and Dr Chris Soler are representing Patamia.