VRT station owner jailed

A VRT station owner who issued certificates without testing cars was yesterday jailed for three years.

Jesmond Pulis, 52, from Żabbar, owner of XTC VRT station was also accused of having employed workers without a valid contract as well as with being a relapser.

One of the employees, Steven Zerafa, 39, from Żabbar, was charged separately and admitted to having been a party to the scam.

Magistrate Ian Farrugia heard how the two men had worked together to issue VRT certificates for cars that were never tested.

The police received a tipoff and had discovered that Mr Zerafa was signing documents in his employer’s name while the latter was on a 3-month trip to Thailand. The “assistant” would then make regular transfers of funds via a financial institution offer global payment services.

Out of some 100 certified vehicles, 20 had not even passed through the testing lane.

Although both men pleaded guilty to the charges, judgment against Mr Zerafa is to be delivered at a later stage after the preparation of a pre-sentencing report.

The court sentenced Pulis to a jail term of three years and a further two years as a suspended sentence came into force. The court also imposed a fine of €10,000 and ordered the revocation of his station’s licence.

Lawyer Peter Paul Zammit was counsel to Mr Zerafa.

Mr Pulis handled his own defence.