Supermarket owner charged with blackmailing client

Supermarket owner Ray Borg was granted bail after pleading not guilty to charges of fraudulent gains, extortion, blackmail and harassment of one of his clients.

Prosecuting inspector Jason Sultana told the court how a certain Anna Maria Cauchi from Rabat, Gozo, had reported that Borg was blackmailing her.

“For over three years the woman has been suffering from kleptomania, and steals minor items without really wanting to,” the officer said.

In 2012, she was caught stealing a packet of Weetabix cereal by a shop assistant at the V&F Supermarket in Sliema. Later that same day, the supermarket owner told her to call at his shop, where he demanded payment of €1,000 in order not to file a police report.

“The woman told him she did not have that amount of money, so she wrote him a cheque as a guarantee. The accused handed her back the cheque after she had paid him the amount in cash,” the inspector said.

Two weeks ago, on 11 April 2014, Cauchi went to the supermarket to purchase some icing sugar but stole a small packet of chocolate eggs worth €2.50. Moments later, the owner called her and demanded €500 to keep silent about the incident. The victim went to the supermarket and handed the accused a blank cheque, which he wrote for a value of €500. Cauchi left the shop but called her bank for advice.

The police apprehended Borg when the man threatened Cauchi, since he could not exchange the cheque for cash. Borg pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Magistrate Marseanne Farrugia granted bail to the accused against a deposit of €1,000 and a personal guarantee of €3,000.

Inspector Jason Sultana prosecuted while Dr Jason Grima appeared for the accused.