A convicted fraudster allegedly swindled an elderly customer out of some €9,000, a court heard during his arraignment on Monday. 

Charles Abela, a 44-year-old Mellieħa resident, was granted bail after pleading not guilty to charges. 

Abela was already out on bail over separate criminal proceedings, having been allowed out of jail just over a month ago. 

Weeks after that court decision, he was back in court under arrest following investigations triggered by a criminal complaint filed by the elderly victim’s lawyer. 

The man claimed to have handed money to Abela to carry out works at his residence. The works concerned the installation of a lift.

After several unfulfilled promises, the customer reported the matter to the police, who intervened.

But in spite of being given a chance to resolve matters, still nothing materialized and the accused proved highly untrustworthy, explained prosecuting Inspector Gabriel Kitcher who pressed criminal charges against Abela. 

On Monday afternoon the man pleaded not guilty to misappropriation and fraud, as well as document fraud. He was also charged with relapsing. 

A request for bail was strongly objected to in view of the fact that the main civilian witness, namely the alleged victim, was an elderly and vulnerable person - the kind of person to be targeted by fraudsters. 

Moreover, Abela had previously been convicted in four separate cases over similar charges and was granted bail just over a month ago in May “perhaps by way of a chance to turn his life around,” said Kitcher. 

Yet since then, the accused had not refunded “a single penny” to his alleged victim, always coming up with some excuse to avoid paying. 

The man was “severely untrustworthy,” argued the prosecutor pointing out that he was currently unemployed. 

The accused owed €9,400 to his elderly victim and was facing a possible maximum jail term of six years if found guilty. 

Besides, today’s arraignment followed a second arrest. 

Abela was to be arraigned last week but had to be admitted to hospital after claiming to be unwell. 

Medical professionals apparently found nothing wrong with him, said the prosecutor, adding that the accused “was abusing the system.” 

Defence lawyer Christopher Chircop, assisting as legal aid counsel, rebutted that this was a civil matter even though the police were insisting that it amounted to criminal wrongdoing. 

The accused had remained regularly in touch with the police and if he were to try influencing the alleged victim, he had all the time to do so just as he had every chance to escape justice.

Moreover, the accused was still presumed innocent. 

“Police stations are not bail book libraries,” rebutted the prosecutor. 

After hearing submissions the court, presided over by Magistrate Monica Vella, upheld the request, observing that the only civilian witness was the alleged victim who would not accept any attempt at communication by the accused. 

Bail was granted against a deposit of €500, a personal guarantee of €5000, signing the bail book twice a week and under strict condition of not approaching the police witnesses, including the alleged victim, in any way.