A man who spent days under arrest after his wife’s teenage daughters made serious defilement allegations about him, was granted bail on Tuesday after the girls testified that their story was entirely made up.

The 40-year-old Syrian national, who is the second husband of the alleged victim’s mother, was arrested, interrogated, charged and remanded in custody after police were alerted to a suspected case of defilement “that could not wait”.

Social welfare agency Appoġġ had flagged the matter after one of the girls, a 15-year-old, told a school friend about how her mother’s husband used to touch her in an indecent manner.

When spoken to by officers from the police vice squad, the girl said that the man had repeatedly made sexual advances and touched her in an intimate manner.

Her younger sister later said that she too had faced a similar experience.

The man was remanded in custody after pleading not guilty, even in view of the fact that the young, vulnerable victims were still to testify.

But when the girls did testify on Monday, via video conference, the elder sister confessed that she had lied about the accused because they argued frequently, over many trivial issues.

Plan hatched after home Wi-Fi was switched off

She said that lately, the man had taken to switching off their home Wi-Fi, depriving them of an internet connection. So one day, during a free period at school, they hatched a plan to get him out of the way. 

Since their mother would never break off her relationship with the accused, the girl said they decided to tell some of her schoolmates that she was being sexually abused by the man, knowing fully well that the information would somehow trickle out.

Her younger sister, although at first reluctant to go along with the plan, ultimately accepted when the older girl told her that that was the only way they could get rid of their mother’s husband.

The plan worked, perhaps more effectively than the girls could have ever hoped for.

The 15-year-old testified that she never expected her action to trigger such serious consequences and that was why she finally decided to tell the truth.

Her younger sister testified that she was at first reluctant to go along with her sister's plan and had even confided with two school friends about the matter.

She finally agreed to cooperate with her sister, telling social workers and police that she was sexually abused by the man on one occasion.

Both girls smiled when asked in court to identify the accused.

A social worker also testified about how the elder girl had called her, insisting that she wanted to talk. The girl told her that she had lied about her mother’s husband and wanted to confess.

The social worker sent for both girls immediately and wasted no time in informing the prosecuting officer.

Following the girls’ testimonies, Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit granted the accused bail against a deposit of €500, a personal guarantee of €20,000, daily signing of the bail book, a curfew between 5pm and 8am and a protection order in respect of the minors.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri were defence counsel.

Inspector John Busuttil prosecuted, assisted by AG lawyers Sean Azzopardi and Kaylie Bonett.