Pimps reported to police by prostitute's boyfriend

An Ukrainian woman's fears of being "sold" by her pimps came to an end after her boyfriend, whom she was forbidden to meet, filed a police report in a desperate attempt to save her from the situation she was in.

Massimo Grima explained that after meeting Yevgeniya Khonakhbeya he was told that the only way he could spend time with her was by paying for the time.

He realised she was the victim of prostitution but he was willing to pay. After some time her pimps told him they did not want him around and, since she was not allowed out on her own, the only means of communication between the couple was via their mobile phone.

"Yeva started to ask for help. She sent me about 28 sms in which she asked me to help her get out of the situation she was in. That was when I decided to file the police report," he said.

Grima yesterday testified with urgency following the arraignment of Paul Ellul, 26, and his wife Elena, also 26, of Ghaxaq and Carmelo Gravina, 39, of Birzebbuga.

The three pleaded not guilty to trafficking a person of age for the purpose of exploiting that person for prostitution, living off the earnings of prostitution, running a brothel and allowing a building they owned to be used as a brothel on and before April 2.

They also pleaded not guilty to inducing a person of age to prostitution to gratify the lust of another person, or encouraging or facilitating the prostitution of a person and keeping Khonakhbeya against her will.

Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera also heard Khonakhbeya's evidence who said that Elena Ellul, an Ukrainian national, used to be friends back in the Ukraine. Ellul had asked her to come to Malta to help her with work but did not specify what the work entailed.

So Elena Ellul provided Khonakhbeya with all the necessary documents to travel to Malta. She arrived on February 14 together with a friend called Victoria.

Ellul and her husband picked them up from the airport and took them to an apartment but she did not know where it was.

Khonakhbeya explained that once they arrived at the apartment they were given some time to rest and clean themselves.

They were then told that they had to prostitute themselves and soon after the first clients arrived.

The following day Paul Ellul took the two women to a Sliema house where he took their plane tickets and passports and told them they could not go anywhere.

Khonakhbeya explained that she had between two and 12 clients daily and the standard fee was Lm15 for half an hour. She kept Lm5 for herself and gave the remaining Lm10 to either Paul, Elena Ellul or Gravina.

Asked where Victoria was she said she had been "sold" to another "boss" but did not know where she was staying. What she knew was that she had been to the Pace Guest House.

She said that although no one had ever threatened her she was scared. She was not allowed to leave the house unless accompanied and that she had not spoken about this to anyone because she was scared.

Gravina, whom she referred to as Charles, had told her that if she did not obey him he would "sell" her like he had done to someone else and that unless she wanted trouble she had to sleep with him.

Khonakhbeya said that while in Malta she met Grima with whom she had become very close. Grima had even paid to take her to Gozo for a weekend but after some time Paul Ellul and Gravina told him they did not want him to see her anymore.

At the end of yesterday's sitting the defendants were granted bail on condition that they do not leave their homes without the court's permission with the exception of April 12 when they may leave their home to vote between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.

They were also bound by a personal guarantee of Lm1,000 each.

Police Inspector Louise Calleja prosecuted.

Dr Franco Debono appeared for the defendants.