A businesswoman has been cleared of defrauding a man almost €44,000, only three months after getting a suspended jail term for a similar crime.

Joanne Sciberras, 30, was found not guilty by Magistrate Doreen Clarke who said she was not convinced that Ms Sciberras had actually defrauded the money.

Alleged victim Emmanuel Vella said he had given Ms Sciberras cheques and cash totalling €43,438.

Ms Sciberras admitted to borrowing €30,290 but not to receiving almost €12,000 in cash.

Maria Jenkins had testified early on in the case that she had seen Mr Vella give Ms Sciberras the cash, but changed her tune the second time.

Magistrate Clarke said she had found none of the persons involved credible and concerns had even been raised by the former investigating Police Inspector Kevin Borg. The case has now been taken over by Inspector Angelo Gafa.

The court found Ms Sciberras not guilty and ordered that Mr Vella and Ms Jenkins be investigated because of their testimony.

In March, Ms Sciberras, was given a 30-month jail term suspended for two years after being found guilty of defrauding another businesswoman of almost €19,000 in 2006.