Museum manager who misappropriated €7,000 given suspended sentence

A manager at Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna was handed a suspended sentence after he pleaded guilty to charges of misappropriation and theft from the foundation.

Inspectors Anna Marie Xuereb and Saviour Baldacchino arraigned 32 year-old Stephen Camilleri, a manager at Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna, before magistrate Audrey Demicoli, accusing him of misappropriating money from his employer as well as aggravated theft.

The court heard how Camilleri would declare a lesser number of visitors in the company’s computer system than the actual number and would then pocket the difference.

Over time, a total of €7000 were taken by the accused in this way.

Defence counsel Vince Micallef pointed out that he only earned €1000 monthly and had a daughter to maintain, aside from other expenses. “He simply could not make ends meet”.

The Prosecution informed the court that the accused had cooperated fully with their investigation

Magistrate Demicoli sentenced the accused to two years imprisonment, suspended for four months, and gave him six months to refund the money.