Court does not believe man’s ‘pistol to the head’ story

A man was yesterday jailed for 17 months after a court refused to believe his story that he was held with a pistol to his head and locked in a mobile toilet by a man who was chasing after his money.

In 2008, Olaf Cini had filed a police report against Publius Said, claiming that Said had illegally detained and threatened him. Mr Said had subsequently been taken to court but was acquitted of all charges.

The case revolved around a loan of Lm800 (€1,840) which Mr Cini had taken from Ina Abrekova, Mr Said’s partner, in 2005. The accused said Mr Said had threatened him in 2007 and that the man had raised the repayment amount to Lm4,000 (€9,200).

The court was told that Mr Cini had used a false name to get his loan but Mr Said had managed to track him down. Mr Cini failed to make any payment for several months. When he contacted him again, Mr Cini’s partner, Marthese Camilleri, offered to guarantee payment if the funds were not refunded within a year. Two months later Ms Camilleri told him that Mr Cini had the money, but he was spending it elsewhere.

At one point Mr Cini told Mr Said that his mother was sending him money from Canada. Ms Abrekova suggested they take Mr Cini’s watch and bracelet as a guarantee.

Mr Cini later claimed these items had been stolen from him. He claimed that Mr Said had put a pistol to his head and that he had locked himself in a mobile toilet for several hours. He claimed he was also threatened.

Mr Said denied the claims, pointing out that Ms Camilleri had stepped in as guarantor of the funds. She paid the money to Mr Said in 2009.

The court, presided over by Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech, found Mr Cini guilty of giving a false report. It noted that Mr Cini had not filed a report immediately after his alleged detainment and had met Mr Said on later dates.

There was no evidence to support Mr Cini’s claims. Since Ms Camilleri had decided to act as guarantor, Mr Said had no reason to act in such a way.

Mr Cini was jailed for 17 months.

The court also imposed a general interdiction of 15 years.