A woman who lodged a false report against her former partner claiming that he had violently raped her, was handed a suspended sentence after admitting that “it was all a lie.”
The incident occurred five years ago when Loretta Vella, now 44, turned up at Qawra police station on October 14 to report that her former partner had held her against her will and raped her at a St Paul’s Bay apartment.
That report triggered a magisterial inquiry and police investigations leading to the suspect’s arrest.
The man was interrogated and subsequently released on police bail.
But the investigating officer was suspicious.
The woman’s version did not tally with the suspect’s version, which was corroborated by CCTV footage. Her version did not appear to make much sense.
The investigator informed the inquiring magistrate about his suspicions that the alleged victim’s version was not true.
Vella was called back for further questioning and she admitted that there had been no rape.
“It was all a lie.”
The woman was then charged with reporting her ex for committing a crime when she actually knew that he was innocent. She was also charged with taking a false oath.
The case was assigned to a new magistrate earlier this year.
The court noted that last year Vella’s ex had declared that he had no interest in the proceedings. Nor did he insist that the accused should be punished.
However, the charges could not be withdrawn by the victim since the offences were prosecutable by the police ex officio.
Vella registered an admission.
The parties agreed that in the circumstances, effective imprisonment was not an adequate punishment.
When delivering judgment, Magistrate Nadia Helena Vella agreed that although the accused deserved punishment, effective imprisonment was not adequate in the circumstances.
However the charges were serious and her false report had triggered a magisterial inquiry which involved experts and expenses.
In light of such considerations the court condemned the woman to a 21-month jail term suspended for three years. She was also to shoulder court expert expenses.
Inspector Godwin Scerri prosecuted.