A Romanian woman who testified against her former boyfriend in court this afternoon was told by the magistrate to stop wasting his time as the version of events she was coming up with did not make sense.

In a four-hour sitting, Pilaf Anisoara, said she began prostituting herself to financially help her former boyfriend Alexandru Onofrei, 26, also from Romania and when she tried to stop he threatened her, forcing her to continue.

Mr Onofrei is pleading not guilty to trafficking Ms Anisoara, forcing her and his girlfriend Mariaca Daresco into prostitution, holding them against their will, living off the earnings of prostitution and running a brothel.

Ms Anisoara claimed Mr Onofrei he did not allow her leave their Qormi apartment but said she could go shopping for food, attend a barbeque and spend time alone in a San Ġwann flat which was used as the brothel.

When Magistrate Ian Farrugia noted that her story did not make as there were many occasions when she could have sought police help Ms Anisoara said she did not want her daughter to find out that she was working as a prostitute. “So you were not afraid of Alex... is it a big lie? ... decide!” Magistrate Farrugia said.

Ms Anisoara said she started prostituting herself after the accused approached her with a way to make money. The accused, she said, opened an account on escort-europe.com, a website where women in Malta could advertise their sexual services and together with his girlfriend, they started offering their services.

She said she was with living with the accused and his girlfriend in Qormi at the time and they would go to the flat used as a brothel almost every day. Despite spending a lot of time there she only ever had four clients who paid €80, 40 per cent of which Mr Onofrei would take. When asked why she did not leave when she had money, she said the flight tickets were very expensive.

Mr Onofrei’s girlfriend will be testifying on Thursday. In the meantime, the accused was to remain in custody until all testimony was gathered.