Lm22,000 fraud charge
Man said to be in debt for Lm1.5 million
A woman yesterday told a court how she learnt that a man who owed her money had tried to repay her with cheques signed by a man who confessed to her that his debts totalled Lm1.5 million.
The cheques bounced, Kristine Bonnici said, and she still has to see her money.
Bonnici testified in the compilation of evidence against the man she claimed owed Lm1.5 million to various people. His name cannot be published by court order.
The man, 47, from Mosta, is pleading not guilty to defrauding Bonnici of Lm22,000 on and before November 17, 2001.
Bonnici yesterday explained how she had lent Virgilio Pirrone Lm22,000 but when the time came for him to pay her back he gave her four Bank of Valletta cheques issued and signed by the defendant.
But the cheques bounced and a meeting between Bonnici, Pirrone, the defendant and their lawyers was organised.
At the meeting, the defendant urged Bonnici to allow him to pay her after three years just like others before her had agreed to and added that his debts amounted to some Lm1.5 million.
She did not like the idea and no agreement was reached although the defendant had told her that there was no reason why she should not agree to his proposal since others before her had trusted him. Bonnici exhibited the cheques, two for Lm6,000 and two for Lm5,000, and explained that when Pirrone gave them to her the payee details were not filled in.
She added that Pirrone had told her that he could not pay her before the defendant gave him the money he owed him.
Dr Adrian Delia, representing Bonnici, then took the witness stand and explained that he was present at the meeting organised with a view to a solution.
The defendant had told him and Bonnici that Pirrone was the one who dealt with people and borrowed money while he guaranteed his loans.
Earlier Inspector Edel Camilleri explained how the defendant was arrested and questioned in October 2002.
He told police he had known he did not have enough money in his account to cover the cheques when he issued them.
Further investigations showed that Pirrone and the defendant had signed a private writing registering that the defendant owed Pirrone Lm370,000 .
The case continues.
Police Inspector Edel Mary Camilleri is prosecuting.