Woman agreed to pay accused 'out of fear'

A woman yesterday took the witness stand against a Birzebbuga man charged with usury and explained how she borrowed Lm100 from him at 100 per cent interest.

The woman, whose name cannot be published by court order, told Magistrate Tonio Micallef Trigona she borrowed Lm100 from her landlord, Nazzareno Zarb, on the condition she would pay him back Lm200.

She was testifying in the compilation of evidence against Zarb, 32, who is pleading not guilty to usury, loaning money against interest without a licence and living off the earnings of prostitution.

The woman explained that she and her flat-mate rented a Gzira apartment from Zarb for prostitution purposes and they each paid him Lm10 a day in rent.

The woman said that some time after she started renting from Zarb she borrowed Lm100 from him. They agreed that she would pay him back Lm200 at Lm10 a day.

Once she had paid the Lm200 she borrowed another Lm100 from Zarb on the same conditions but soon after she borrowed the money Zarb was imprisoned. When she learnt that he was in jail she moved out of the apartment but did not tell him since he was in prison.

When he was eventually released he contacted her in Marsa, where she worked, and told her she owed him Lm350, Lm200 of which were the payment for the second Lm100 she had borrowed.

The woman said she paid Zarb Lm10 a day until she cleared the Lm350 debt. But some time later Zarb went to Marsa and told her she still owed him Lm3,000 since she had not paid him the Lm350 and owed him money for the period he was in jail.

The woman said she agreed to pay him the Lm3,000 because she was afraid of him as he had threatened her before, although he never hit her.

She paid about Lm200 but after some time she could no longer cope with her debt so she ran away and remained in hiding out of fear.

Earlier, Police Inspector Joseph Cordina, prosecuting, gave an overview of his involvement in the investigations. He said that during questioning Zarb denied ever lending the woman money against interest and said that the only money she owed him was in rent for the Gzira apartment.

At the end of yesterday's sitting Dr Chris Cardona, for Zarb, asked Magistrate Micallef Trigona to alter Zarb's bail conditions by revoking the condition whereby he was ordered to remain home.

The magistrate upheld the request but ordered Zarb not to approach any of the prosecution's witnesses.

The case continues.