Court freezes notary's assets in fraud case

Newly appointed magistrate Joe Mifsud ordered that all assets of notary Pierre Falzon be frozen – a decision which did not go down well with the notary’s defence counsel.

54 year-old Falzon, who hails from Qawra, is facing charges of having defrauded several clients and misappropriated thousands of euros from them in the years leading up to August 2012.
 
The charges relate to property transactions in Birzebbugia, Gzira, Iklin, Mosta, San Gwann, Santa Venera, St Paul's Bay, Ta Qali and Tarxien.
 
A European Arrest Warrant had been issued in 2011 when he had failed to turn up for a sitting, submitting a medical certificate from a Milan doctor stating that he was unable to attend as he was recovering from an ailment. The notary had then made his way to Spain, only to be arrested in Marbella on the strength of the EAW and eventually extradited to Malta.
 
His lawyers, Michael and Lucio Sciriha pointed out that Falzon was repaying his alleged victims in other cases, which were being held before several different magistrates adding that the debts had almost been settled.

They had argued that were his assets to be frozen at this stage, this would prejudice his other alleged victims as he would be unable to continue making repayments.
 
Magistrate Mifsud, however, upheld the prosecution's request and issued the freezing order. Falzon’s counsel will be filing an appeal.