Enough evidence to indict nine persons accused of trafficking Colombian sex workers

A court has declared that it had seen sufficient evidence to merit the indictment of nine individuals accused of trafficking women from Colombia to Malta to work in the sex trade.

Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech declared that there was sufficient prima facie evidence to indict Luke Farrugia, Clint D’Amato, Denzil Farrugia, Alexandra Suhov Procora, Nicolae Efimov, Kane Vassallo, Luca Emanuele Corito, Dylan McKay and Gordon Cassar, when the compilation of evidence against them continued on Wednesday morning.

All nine are charged with money laundering, promoting or setting up a criminal organisation, forcing individuals over 21 years of age into prostitution, holding persons against their will in a brothel as bonded debtors, knowingly living off the earnings of prostitution and running a brothel.

Prosecuting police inspector John Spiteri was cross-examined during the sitting, answering defence lawyers’ questions about the individual defendants' involvement in the criminal organisation.

Inspector Spiteri confirmed that Kane Vasssallo, was not involved in the transportation of the women into Malta, but said Vassallo had been aware of impending arrivals of new women from Colombia to work in the sex trade.

This was documented in Whatsapp messages, in which Vassallo referred to the women as ‘new stock.’

READ ALSO: Trafficked sex workers saw over 2,000 clients in three months, court hears

Asked about Luca Corito, inspector Spiteri said that Corito has contacted one of the victims only once, after Denzil Farrugia had been unable to do so.

Future witnesses would explain how Corito had been aware that he was sending one of the women to provide sexual services to clients outside the usual premises, said the inspector, adding that a 21-year-old man had been paid €400 for this task.

In reply to questions about Gordon Cassar, the inspector replied that the police investigation revealed that Cassar had received a total of €75,000 in his Revolut bank account, in less than two years.

Additionally, it was observed that the money was being credited to the account during the night, he said. This, together with the fact that the deposits were being made €55 at a time, led the investigators to believe that the payments were being made after every 30-minute paid sexual encounter.

Two defendants are granted bail

At the end of today’s sitting, the defence lawyers requested bail for their clients, but this was opposed by the prosecution on the grounds that many of their witnesses were still yet to testify.

It is believed that the prosecution intends to bring around 50 witnesses in total against the defendants. These include a photographer who had taken promotional photos of the women, a representative from a travel agency, as well as some of the brothel’s male clients. 

In a decree handed down in the afternoon, the court denied bail to all but two of the defendants: Corito and Pocora. Corito was released from arrest, secured by a €8000 deposit and a €12,000 personal guarantee, also being ordered to sign a bail book daily. Pocora, too, was ordered to sign a bail book three times a week. She was required to deposit €5,000 and provide a €15,000 personal guarantee. Both were also ordered to observe a curfew.

Police inspectors John Spiteri, Joseph Xerri and Dorianne Tabone are prosecuting, together with lawyers Ramon Bonett Sladden, Charmaine Abdilla from the Office of the Attorney General. Lawyers Franco Debono, Marion Camilleri, Mario Mifsud, Nicholas Mifsud, Charles Mercieca, Roberto Montalto, and Kathleen Calleja Grima are assisting the accused.