A man who allegedly lured passing motorists into parting with their cash by faking a breakdown of his vehicle was remanded in custody after pleading not guilty to fraud. 

Russel Bugeja, a 47-year-old sea captain from Attard, was escorted to court on Tuesday as one of two suspected fraudsters who allegedly flagged down passing drivers at a roundabout, pretending that their own car had developed some fault. 

The man would explain that he needed money to repair the fictitious fault, convincing a number of motorists to hand over some cash.

The couple would then vanish. 

Prosecuting Inspector Godwin Scerri explained that CCTV footage had led to the identification of the accused and his alleged accomplice, a woman. 

The man was tracked down and charged with fraud that allegedly took place throughout March and April.

He was also charged with making fraudulent gain as well as relapsing.

The man pleaded not guilty and his lawyer, Yanika Bugeja, requested bail, pointing out that the accused had a drug problem and wanted to undergo rehabilitation. 

Moreover, he was innocent until proved guilty and his previous conviction dated back 12 years, the defence lawyer said.

However, the prosecution objected since a number of civilian witnesses were still to testify and investigations were still ongoing in respect of his suspect accomplice who is currently receiving medical treatment.

In light of such objections, the court, presided over by magistrate Audrey Demicoli, denied bail on the basis of the risk of tampering with evidence, but recommended that prison authorities afford the accused all necessary care.